A Certain Mysterious Boy
by Tigerofcards33
Summary: Discontinued
1. Episode 1: Another character enters!

**I'm only going to say this once, cause it should be obvious, I do not own the "Toaru" series.**

* * *

On the edge of Academy City, a boy was entering the gates. Little did anyone know, that the presence of this boy would change all of their lives.

* * *

Mikoto and Kuroko were walking through the school garden. It was Saturday, and they didn't have school, so they were enjoying a day off.

"Where should we go next, sissy?" Kuroko asked her idol, the 3rd ranked esper in Academy City, Mikoto Misaka.

"Maybe we should go to a restaurant, I'm starving." Misaka replied. Just then, she noticed a boy walking a little ways up, which was strange, because boys typically weren't allowed in the school garden.

"What's wrong sissy?" Kuroko inquired, noticing the troubled expression on Misaka's face.

"I think I saw a boy."

"A boy?! What would a boy be doing in the school garden?"

"I don't know but-" Misaka was cut off by the boy in question walking towards them. Upon closer inspection, the boy had curly black hair, was slightly shorter than Kuroko, had black shorts and a black T-shirt, and the only unusual thing about him was his rainbow colored eyes.

"Hello there," the boy started, "I'm new to Academy City, and I've been looking for someone to help me register for a school."

"I'm afraid you've got the wrong place. This is the school garden, and there are only girl's schools here." Misaka told the boy.

"Well do you think you could point me to a school nearby where I could register to a school?"

"Yeah sure, me and Kuroko go to Tokiwadai middle school, and I'm sure our dorm mother could help you."

"Thanks a lot." With that, the 3 kids took off towards Tokiwadai.

"So you're Mikoto Misaka, the 3rd ranked esper in Academy City, right?" The boy asked Misaka as they walked to Tokiwadai.

"Yeah, but how did you know that?" Misaka asked.

"Well, you are a level 5. They're pretty famous, even outside of Academy City."

"Ah, that makes sense. Say, what level are you?" Misaka asked.

"I actually haven't taken my level test yet. Oh, but I do have an ability."

"Wait, you haven't taken the power development curriculum yet, but you have an ability? That sounds like a Gemstone." Misaka commented as she wondered what his ability was.

"What the heck is a gemstone?" The boy asked.

"You don't know what a gemstone is, and yet you have a ability without taking the power development curriculum? What's your name anyway?" Kuroko interjected.

"My name is Etrig, Kuroko Shirai, level 4 teleporter, and member of Judgment."

"How do you know my name?!"

"I know a lot of things. But at the same time, there's a lot of things I don't know."

"So Misaka, what's a gemstone anyways?" Etrig asked ignoring Kuroko.

"A gemstone is a esper who's developed their power naturally, without the power development curriculum."

"That's ridiculous! I mean, if humans could just develop powers naturally, surely we would've noticed at some point in history, not to mention we wouldn't even have a need for Academy City. Humans aren't just born with supernatural powers, that's ridiculous!" Etrig replied.

"In that case, how do you explain how you have an ability, yet you haven't taken the power development curriculum?" Kuroko asked.

"How about I just show you my ability in a duel instead, Misaka?" Etrig spoke, once again ignoring Kuroko.

"A Duel, huh? Sure sounds fun."

Etrig snapped his fingers, then blue flames surrounded them, and a badge with a flower on it appeared on both Mikoto's and Etrig's chests.

"The duel will be over when one of our badges is broken, or when of us gives up." Etrig said as he tossed a black sword handle to Misaka.

"What do I do with this?" Misaka asked.

"Just press the button on the side." Etrig replied.

Misaka did as told, and a pink blade seemingly made of energy, grew out of the sword handle. Then, Etrig took a fighting stance while brandishing his own sword, which had a blue blade of light. ( **1**.)

"Come at me anytime, and let's begin the duel." Etrig called to Misaka.

"How were you able to do all of this?" Misaka inquired.

"It's all part of my ability."

"And just what _is_ your ability anyways?" Kuroko asked the boy.

Etrig took a deep breath. "Well, here it goes. My ability allows me to perform any action that is part of a game. Sounds preposterous, I know, but that's what my extensive testing has told me."

"Wow, I've never heard of an ability that works under rules like that before. Sounds like a interesting opponent, if it's true." Misaka commented, intrigued.

Etrig took a dash towards Misaka with his sword raised, then sliced downward at her.

"Whoa!" Misaka yelled out as she jumped back to avoid the attack.

"Remember Misaka, you can use your ability." Etrig told her, as he moved his sword to a standby position.

'Really? That's good, if I can use my ability there's no way I should lose. But it wouldn't be any fun if I use my ability right away.'

Etrig then threw multiple quick sideward slashes at her, which she dodged, then he thrust towards her badge, which she barely parried. Misaka then threw multiple slashes at him, which he dodged, then she thrust at his badge, which he also parried.

'This guy's actually pretty good with a sword, looks like I'll be using my ability sooner than I wanted.' Misaka thought. Misaka threw a bolt of electricity at him, which he blocked with his sword, and then she threw a thrust at his badge while his sword was occupied, but he moved his left foot up to block the attack.

'This guy's crazy! Did he really just block a sword with his foot?' Kuroko thought as she watched the duel.

'Darn, this is going to be tougher than I thought' Misaka thought as she blocked a slash, then tried to make a wall of iron sand to create some distance, but it didn't work because there weren't any iron sand particles in the air.

"So this really is another place entirely." Misaka said as she observed the results of her experiment.

"Yeah, I think it has something to do with that personal reality thing they told me about." Etrig said as he once again assumed a fighting stance.

"What do you mean?" Misaka asked.

"I'm going to ignore that question." Etrig said as he raced towards Misaka.

Misaka quickly created a wall of electricity, halting Etrig's progress, then swung at him, which he blocked with his sword. Misaka then dropped her sword, and used her magnetism to control it, sending it slicing on it's own at Etrig's badge, as he blocked it with his sword.

'Perfect, now!' Misaka threw a big bolt of electricity at Etrig's badge, which he barely managed to block with his sword.

"Looks like your plan didn't wor-" Etrig was interrupted by the two halves of his badge falling to the ground.

"Looks like I win, while you were distracted, I used my magnetism ability to control the sword and slice your badge." Misaka explained.

"Ooooooh, nice work. Oh crud, this is going to hurt."

"What's going to hurt?" Misaka asked. Just then, Etrig was surronded by a pillar of blue flames that seemed to envelop him.

"Aaaaaaaaaaah!" The boy fell to the ground just as the flames around all of them disappeared, and they reappeared in the street.

"What was that about?" Kuroko asked, as Misaka helped the Etrig stand up.

"Thanks Misaka." Etrig removed Misaka's arm from his shoulder "It just so happens, that the game I stole the blue flame idea from, has a penalty function."

"I see, but why did you do that? Wasn't that dangerous?" Misaka asked the boy.

"Eh, but it was fun! And that way, no one could interfere with our game!" Etrig replied, flashing a huge smile.

All of a sudden, Kuroko appeared in front of Misaka. "Oh sissy, that fight must've tensed up your muscles, let me massage you from head to toe!" Kuroko exclaimed as she started reaching for Misaka.

"Kurokoooooooo" Misaka said dangerously, but just before she was about to shock Kuroko into submission, once again, Etrig snapped his fingers, and Kuroko was enveloped in blue flames. She cried out in pain before she fell to the ground.

"What did you do to her?!" Misaka yelled, outraged at the sight of her best friend hurt.

"I just punished her for her sins, nothing worse than you were going to do." Etrig replied nonchalantly as Kuroko got back up.

"Let's continue walking to Tokiwadai." Etrig said as he started walking in the direction they were going earlier.

"Kuroko are you okay?" Kuroko nodded her head. "Good, maybe next time you'll think twice before doing something like that."

"But sissy, I was just going to give you a innocent massage."

"Like heck, that was innocent!"

"Kuroko, Misaka, let's go I still need to register for a school." Etrig called back impatiently to Misaka and Kuroko.

"You're pretty good with a sword." Misaka complimented as she and Kuroko caught up to Etrig.

"Thanks, but I didn't stand a chance against you. No wonder you're a level five, even without your ability to use iron sand you still crushed me."

"Your ability is a strange one." Kuroko commented as they continued towards Tokiwadai.

"Yeah, that's part of the reason I came to Academy City, to figure out the secret behind this mysterious power of mine."

"What's the other reason?" Misaka asked.

Etrig gave a sweet smile, "That's a secret!"

* * *

 **1\. 10 fanfiction points, or FP, for the first person to guess the reference.**

 **Thank you for reading one of my first stories. Since most of you reading this have probably not seen my profile, I am obliged to inform you that reviews must kept appropriate for the current rating of this story. So no 'f word', any reviews that exceed the current rating will be deleted and disregarded. Also, if you wish to earn fan fiction points, you may only make one guess per review, and one review per day. Fan fiction points may be used to request stories for topics I know, bragging rights, and to request the use of your own oc in one of my stories. The amount needed to make requests will be decided at a later date. I will attempt to keep track of who has fan fiction points on my profile, but I expect readers to be honest. Thanks a lot!**


	2. Episode 2: The mystery grows in AC

**As mentioned in the summary, this story takes place after the anime, and as I've never read the light novels, some characters and back stories will differ from canon. Please let me know if you're okay with me changing the back stories for characters like, Komoe, Yomikawa, Misaki etc... (FYI I'll probably do it anyways, as I haven't read the light novels, and sometimes it's useful for plot/story.)**

* * *

Misaka and Kuroko were eating breakfast in the Tokiwadai cafeteria, yesterday on their way to Tokiwadai, they had learned a bit more about Etrig. Apparently, he was the same age as Kuroko, and was a big fan of the level 5s in Academy City, or, at least the ones he knew of.

They were still eating breakfast, when they noticed Etrig standing in line for breakfast.

"What's _he_ doing here?" Kuroko asked.

"I... don't know."

"Hey sissy." Etrig called as he sat down next Misaka.

At that moment, Kuroko's mind was filled with thoughts of brutally killing Etrig over and over.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Misaka asked him.

"Well, since I didn't enroll in a school with dorms, I didn't have a place to stay, and since I am still not in high school, they didn't just assign me to a dorm. And so, I'm staying in the Tokiwadai dorms until I find a house I want."

"Wait, how are you staying in the Tokiwadai dorms?" Misaka asked.

"True, that scary dorm mother of yours took a lot of convincing sissy, but I told her I didn't have anywhere to stay."

"Yeah, she can be... threatening" Misaka shuddered as if remembering something.

"Wait just a second! Why are you calling _my_ sissy, sissy?" Kuroko outbursted.

"I give nicknames to the people I respect, and since you already gave her a nickname that she seemed to approve, I figured it worked. Oh, are you meeting up with Uiharu and Ruiko today?"

"How do you know about them?" Misaka asked.

Etrig gave a big smile, and spoke in a child-like voice, "Can I skip that question too?"

Misaka gave off a spark "Sorry, but when it comes to my friends, I don't let anything suspicious slip."

"Oh, you're so scary, sissy." Etrig spoke, still with the child-like voice.

Misaka sparked even more, "You're going to tell me, right?"

"Okay, I'm just speaking hypothetically here, but as you're familiar with the dark side of Academy Cit-"

"You know about the dark side?" Misaka questioned.

"Allow me to continue, as you're familiar with the dark side of Academy City, you probably know about the cameras all over the city.

"Of course I do, they're not exactly secret."

"True, but what it appears you don't know, is there's cameras everywhere, even places they shouldn't be, you follow?" Misaka nodded her head.

"Well imagine who would get access to these cameras."

"Judgment, Anti-Skill..." Kuroko started listing.

"Don't be so naive, I'm talking about the secret cameras."

"The Academy City board of directors!" Misaka cried in realization.

"Correct, Misaka." Etrig spoke. "Imagine if a member of the board of directors had a child, they would probably have access to the cameras too."

"That doesn't answer my question, though." Misaka spoke.

"I think he's saying he's the child of an Academy City director, sissy."

"Really?"

"I'm afraid that kind of information can't be disclosed easily, so I can neither confirm, nor deny that."

"Wait, you said you just came to Academy City, so how could you see the footage?" Kuroko pointed out.

"This is Academy City, surely the technology to securely send video footage is available. Not to mention I could've lied." Etrig replied.

"This French toast is really good, sissy." Etrig spoke, changing the subject.

"Hey, don't change the subject." Kuroko said.

"Oh, sissy doesn't another one of the level 5s go here?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, the 5th level 5 esper, Misaki Shokuhou, goes here. Her ability is mental-out." Mikoto replied.

"Stop changing the subject!" Kuroko interrupted.

"Sorry I've got to go and take my ability test to see what level I am." Etrig quickly walked out of the cafeteria, leaving Misaka and Kuroko to wonder if he really was who he implied he was.

* * *

"What the heck do you mean, I have to go school?!" Accelerator bellowed at his current guardian, Aiho Yomikawa.

Accelerator and Last Order had moved back into Yomikawa's place. They had tried living together on their own, but Accelerator had decided it wasn't going to work, when, whenever they/she were alone, she kept trying do to things she had either read about, or her sisters had taught her. It had gotten so bad, that Accelerator actually considered putting effort into moderating Last Order's use of the internet, what books she read and banning her from talking to her sisters, unless it was in person, so Accelerator could know what they were talking about. It was the last straw when Last Order came up to him and asked; "Accelerator, are you a lolicon?"

And so here they were, back to living with Yomikawa.

"Because, as you were so kind to warn me of, people will want to come after you, and since I can't be here to protect you all the time, you need to come to the school I teach at, so I can protect you and Last Order."

"Why the heck do _I_ , the number one, need protection from a mere school teacher?"

"Because you only have 30 minutes of battery life on that choker of yours, do you really think you can protect you _and_ Last Order with just that?"

"Tch." Accelerator sneered.

"Why are you complaining, all you do all day is sit around and complain, it's not like you do anything."

"Why do I have to go to a school full of ones and zeroes? No pun intended."

"Oh my, I didn't know you had a sense of humor, Accelerator." Yomikawa gave a smirk. "How about this then, you and Last Order can go back to living _alone."_ This word made Accelerator shudder. It was ironic the very word he would use to describe his old self, now made him shudder.

"Besides, maybe you'll find something interesting to do there."

"What do you think I find fun? I doubt they'll let me kill someone."

"Okay then, you have 2 choices: 1. You give the school a chance, and if you still don't like it, you can drop out and I won't bother you about this again, 2. You still end up going to school, and I put you back on Last Order bath duty."

Accelerator bitterly remembered the annoying brat splashing him as she took her bath.

"Fine, I'll go." Accelerator said bitterly.

"Yay! Misaka Misaka cries in joy over the victory against Accelerator." Last Order, who had been oddly quite throughout the conversation, exclaimed.

"You two start tomorrow."

"Tch!"

Yomikawa and Last Order left the room, leaving Accelerator lying on the couch, thinking.

'Great, this is totally going to cut into my "GROUP" efficiency. Wait... darn it! If only I could tell that hag what I did all day, I wouldn't have been roped into going to school!'

* * *

Kamijo and Index were walking home from shopping for food for them and Sphinx, Index had complained that she was hungry and wanted to eat out, and Kamijo had to remind her, that he never had any money, because of the black hole that was her stomach.

Kamijo and Index passed by a boy clad in black, with black hair, when he spoke; "Imagine Breaker, and Index Librorum Prohibitorum,"

Kamijo and Index stopped upon hearing their titles.

"How do you know who we are?" Kamijo spoke.

"I know a lot of things, including some things, you may have, _forgot."_ Kamijo gasped in realization.

"If you want to know more, meet me after school tomorrow, I'll be waiting. Of course, you could always just ignore me and never see me again." With that, he continued walking past them, leaving them standing in the middle of the road, as it ominously started raining.

"Toma, what was he talking about?" Index asked with a worried expression on her face.

Kamijo ignored her, thinking about what the boy had said.

'What was he talking about? Was he talking about my memory? If he was, how did he know about my memory? What do I do? I want to learn more about my past self, who I used to be, and who Index wants to be with. But, if I try to learn about my memories that I lost, Index might learn about my memory loss, and I don't want to see her sad. But at same time, there's so many important people I've forgot, and it's not fair to them, and most importantly I want to be the one who saved Index, someone who deserves to see that beautiful smile of hers.'

"Toma! Toma! Tomaaaaaaaa!"

* * *

 **Me: And... cue hikaru no go ending theme 1**

 **Toma: Why hikaru no go?**

 **Me: the first ending theme seems appropriate for the situation**

 **Toma: Whatever**

 **Me: A tough choice on our hero's hands. Will he play it safe, or will he finally make a selfish decision?**

 **Toma: Hey! Even if I do meet with that boy, it's for everyone else's sake, it's not a selfish decision!**

 **Me: I personally hope you don't meet up with Etrig, I'm terrible at writing emotional scenes, I don't know how I'm going to write the emotional scene when Index learns about your memory loss**

 **Toma: Oh really now? Maybe just to make to things difficult for you, I'll meet up with him**

 **Me: Nooo! Please don't! You sadist!**

 **Accelerator: Thank god Last Order didn't actually know what a lolicon was. Also, the hero, a sadist? Hilarious! (Laughs maniacally)**


	3. Episode 3: The 1 enters A Certain HS!

**If anyone who reads this story wants me to respond to reviews, please tell me and I'll happily do it.**

* * *

Accelerator was walking home with a bag of groceries... and coffee. Yomikawa had told him to pick up groceries, and he had welcomed the task as an excuse to get a break from Last Order... and get coffee. With all the headaches he got dealing with Last Order, coffee was a necessity.

It was past curfew, not that it matters, if anyone bothered him about it, he just had to drop his title as number one, it opened a lot of doors.

Accelerator noticed as he was walking, a boy with black hair and clothes, a little ways up the street, leaning against a building. It was odd seeing a boy that age, or size, out past curfew, not that Accelerator paid it any mind.

Accelerator walked past the boy, when he heard him speak; "You're Accelerator, aren't you?"

"And judging by the question, you're some idiot who wants to die."

"I simply want to talk about something."

"Why should I care? You should just leave before you die."

"Last Order!"

"What?!" Accelerator snarled.

"I figured those two words would catch your attention." The boy smirked.

"Tell me what you know about Last Order, right now! Unless you _want_ to die!" Accelerator barked, as he reached for his choker.

"No need to waste your battery life on me, I mean you no harm."

"What do you know about Last Order?!" Accelerator shouted, a bit quieter than before.

"Less than you." The boy responded evenly.

"What did you want to talk me about? You've got 30 seconds, then I go back to questioning you."

"I'm afraid we can't talk now, I've got to go to sleep." The boy said, then he tossed him a data card from which a hologram sprouted, with a red dot highlighting a spot on a map. "Meet me here tomorrow to continue our conversation, don't worry the time's on there too."

"Why should I?"

"Didn't you still have questions?"

"I could just kill you now, and not have to think about it."

"No you can't!" The boy taunted, then he disappeared.

"Darn it! How many brats do I have to deal with?!" Accelerator shouted in frustration before he continued hobbling home.

* * *

Last Order and Accelerator had arrived at school, and learned that Ms. Komoe would be their teacher. Accelerator theorized, that if it wasn't the results of an experiment to slow down or stop cell aging, maybe it was an experiment to slow down or stop, cell duplication. He quickly dismissed that theory, however. Last Order continued sympathizing with Komoe, as ones who had to undergo horrible experimentation, causing Komoe to pout angrily.

"Yomikawa!" Accelerator called to Yomikawa who was the down the hall.

'Whack!' Accelerator was met with a book to the head. "You will call me Miss Aiho at school, understand?" ( **1** )

Accelerator simply nodded his still reverberating cranium. "Good, now what is it that you wanted to ask me?"

"Why am I not in your class? I thought your reasoning for me coming here was so you could protect Last Order and I."

Yomikawa smirked- Accelerator was really starting to hate that smirk of hers. "Komoe's class is more fun." She replied simply.

"What kind of half baked answer is that?"

"Awwwww, is Accelerator going to miss me?"

"Like heck, I am!" With that, Accelerator started hobbling towards class with Last Order and Ms. Komoe.

* * *

"Alright class," Komoe spoke in front of the class, "We have a new transfer student, so please welcome him." A series of "awwww"s could be heard coming from about 75% of the class, who weren't glad the new transfer student was a boy, the other 25% was made up of some girls and one boy, who were glad to have more boys in the class, and of Kamijo, who seriously didn't care.

"Please welcome, Accelerator!" This name made Kamijo look up from the window to see Accelerator and that little Misaka sister entering the room. "He will be accompanied by Last Order as well. As she is underaged, she will not be required to participate in class, but she is welcome to."

"Hello there, in case some of you idiots don't know who I am, I'm the number one esper in Academy City, my ability is vector control, nice to meet you." Accelerator said in a voice, that for him, was quite polite, although the word polite was not in his vocabulary.

"Well then, Accelerator you can sit in that seat in the back, in the second column from the window, if you need a reference point, it's right next to that spiky black haired boy in the back, and one seat behind." Accelerator walked towards his seat, when he noticed the spiky haired boy in question.

"You!" Kamijo groaned, he had really hoped that Accelerator would either ignore him, have forgotten him, or just not notice him at all.

"Have we met?" Kamijo asked with pleading eyes, hoping Accelerator would get the message.

"I'm going to pay you back tenfold for what you did to me." Accelerator threw a punch at Kamijo's face. Kamijo simply raised his right hand and caught the punch.

"Fighting with the savior will not be allowed, Misaka Misaka says as Misaka Misaka jumps in front of Accelerator."

"Oh it's the little Misaka."

"Misaka's name is Last Order, Misaka Misaka says, in a effort to make sure the boy remembers."

"Got it Last Order."

"Accelerator, fighting will not be allowed in class, so please take your seat. Since you're a new student, today will be a review day, but we still don't want to waste time." Ms. Komoe told him. Accelerator did as told, with Last Order taking to standing next to him.

* * *

The first half of the day went by relatively eventless, and now it was lunchtime, and Kamijo and Accelerator were talking.

"Judging from how you came in with Last Order, I'm guessing you're the guardian she told me about."

"Yeah."

"So what happened?"

"Accelerator saved the Misaka network from an evil virus, Misaka Misaka retells the story in a quicker fashion."

"Yeah, got myself shot in the head in the process, and lost my processing ability. Now the network does all my processing but I can only fight for 30 minutes at a time."

"Oh really? That sounds tough, but I'm proud of you. That was a great thing you did, saving the sisters."

"Why the heck should I care if you're proud of me?"

Just then, Tsuchimikado and Aogami walked up to them, and Accelerator shot Tsuchimikado a look that said 'you tell anybody I know you and you die'

"Hey Kami," Tsuchimikado spoke.

"Hey Kami, why does the number one esper know you? Normally you only meet girls without telling us." Aogami questioned.

"That's none of your business." Accelerator replied, sporting another death glare.

"Well anyways, since you're a friend of Kami, you should be able to help us settle this argument, Kami refuses to give an opinion." Tsuchimikado piped up.

"Like I'm this hero's friend."

"Whatever, the question is: what's better, front hook bras or back hook bras? I think it's front bras, and Aogami thinks it's back bras."

"What's a bra, Misaka Misaka asks in curiosity."

"You don't need to know." Accelerator replied.

"Oooh!" Tsuchimikado and Aogami spoke at once.

"I can't believe you've got a Loli type." Aogami said with fury evident in his voice.

"Not only that, but it's a little sister type." The sis-con sergeant spoke.

"Don't call her a Loli!" Accelerator replied angrily.

"All you three having a perverted discussion _again_?" Fukiyose Seiri spoke, having just come up to them.

"Not me." Kamijo replied pointing towards Tsuchimikado, Aogami, and Accelerator.

* * *

Kamijo was exiting the school building. After Tsuchimikado, Aogami, and Accelerator had received the normal beating from Fukiyose, (although Accelerator tried to put up a fight) the rest of the day had gone very normal. Now it was time to meet up with that mysterious boy from yesterday.

Kamijo spotted the boy laying against the gate, noticeably with a few girls around him, who scattered when Kamijo came up to him.

"What's up?" The boy spoke.

"What did you mean yesterday?"

"I did a lot of things yesterday, what are you referring to?"

"When you said you knew something I forgot."

"Oh that. Tell me, are you willing to let Index know your secret?"

"Of course not. Index is the most important thing in the world to me, I couldn't stand to see her hurt."

"Good. Although, I'm afraid there's not much choice in the matter. The name's Etrig, nice to meet you."

"Toma Kamijo, although I'm assuming you already knew. What did you mean by there's not much choice?"

"Well Kamijo, do you really think you can keep it from Index forever? She'll learn eventually, and that's why you should be actively searching to get your old memories back, not just for Index's sake, but for your own as well."

"I do want to get my old memories back, but not at the cost of seeing Index unhappy."

"Kamijo, has anyone ever told you? When you talk like a hero completely disregarding yourself, it makes people want to punch you in the face."

"Hey! What's with the change in attitude?"

"You should know Kamijo, I happen to know a little bit about your old memories, emphasis on _little_ bit, and I would like to help you discover a way to get all your memories back."

"Will Index learn about my memory loss?"

"Let's walk and talk, or even better continue this conversation at your dorm, you don't want to keep Index waiting."

"How do you know all of this anyways?"

"I don't want to spend the time it takes to give a reason for that."

"Alright, let's walk and talk, quietly."

"Okay by me." Kamijo and Etrig started walking towards Kamijo's dorm.

"So what do you know about my past?"

"I want to wait till we're with Index to give that information out."

"Why are you obsessed with Index knowing?"

"Kamijo, you're a real jerk."

"What?!"

"Honestly, it's unfair, you have so many friends and allies that you don't deserve. You earned those friends before you lost your memory, and they're still there for just that reasoning, yet you don't have the decency to tell them about your memory loss."

"I know." Toma said solemnly. 'Although I'm not sure if Tsuchimikado and Aogami count as friends.' "You know about me and Index, how do I know I can trust you?"

"Uh... you can trust me."

"That's not very convincing, do you promise I can trust you?"

"I promise I won't endanger anybody. That work?"

"If you promise." At that moment they arrived at Kamijo's dorm house. They walked to Kamijo's dorm and Kamijo knocked on the door.

"Index, I'm home" The door opened and Index's face could be seen popping out.

"Toma! You're home- oh it's the boy from yesterday, why did you bring him home?"

"More importantly, you're hungry." Etrig cut in.

"How did you know?!" Index asked incredulously.

"I'll start making dinner while you get to know Etrig here." Kamijo said, entering the house and heading towards the kitchen.

* * *

"Please tell me your magic name." Index demanded. "You knew about me and Toma, meaning you must be a magician."

"You know, our magic names are known as killer names. Do you really want me to tell you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just kidding, I'm an esper."

"But if you're a member of the science side, how do you know about magicians?"

"Why does everyone question how I know things?"

"You must be a very important person to know about magicians."

"That's the right idea. Although, I'm not sure how true that is. After all, aren't we all important?" Etrig posed the philosophical question.

"Anyways, the existence of magic is highly classified, if you stumbled upon this information accidently, you could be punished harshly."

"Yep. And then those nuns will cover it up with 'It's all in god's name. We can commit sins to punish a sinner.' It ticks me off how contradictory that is."

"Hey! I'm a nun!" Index replied indignantly.

"Hey! You're not making a very good first impression over there." Kamijo called, looking over his shoulder as he carried the pan with the pork chops in it.

Etrig's face was overcome with terror. "Sorry!" He said abnormally loudly. "Sorry, sorry, I'm so sorry to be alive!"( **2** )

* * *

After calming down Etrig, dinner was served. Kamijo learned that Etrig could eat about as much as Index. Meaning that Toma was going to be skipping dinner tonight.

"Man! You really can eat a lot Index!" Etrig exclaimed as he put his bowl in the sink.

"What are you talking about? You only ate one less serving than me!" Index replied.

"You know, they're called a serving because that's how much you're supposed to eat in one serving." Kamijo sighed as he wondered how two tiny people could possibly eat that much, Etrig was hardly taller than Index.

"That's just a suggestion." Etrig called back. "Anyways, it's time to get to why I'm here." Etrig said as his face got serious.

"What is it?" Index asked. Kamijo sat down across from Etrig- who had sat back down- and Index.

" _You_ want to tell her right?" Etrig asked.

"Tell me what?" Index asked in confusion.

"Index, listen carefully I'm only going to say this once." Kamijo said, his voice commanding, yet full of dread.

Kamijo took a deep breath. "Here goes. Index...

* * *

 **1\. 10 fanfiction points for the first reviewer to guess the reference**

 **2.** **10 FP for the first reviewer to guess the reference**

 **Me: Dun dun dun dun!**

 **Toma: A cliffhanger huh? You're evil**

 **Me: Doing this buys me more time to write the emotional scene you're forcing me to write**

 **Accelerator: Don't I have a meeting with the same kid after the hero does?**

 **Me: Maybe, maybe not**

 **Accelerator: Tell me or I'll kill you**

 **Me: If you kill the author, this you will be frozen in time forever**

 **Accelerator: Tch!**

 **Me: As always, I hoped you enjoyed. I don't care if you review, but the more you review, the more you enjoy!**


	4. Episode 4: The 1 meets a certain boy!

**I'm going to respond to some reviews of chapter 3 now, so first up:**

 **Bluejack222: Nope, nice try though**

 **Guest(1): Depends on what you're talking about**

* * *

"Index, listen up. You remember the event that landed me in the hospital for the first time after I met you, right?"

"Uh-huh." Index replied nodding her head.

"Well... I don't."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Index asked.

"Index, there's a secret that I've been keeping from you, and it's time I finally spill the beans. Whatever magic spell hit me back then, it really did cause me to lose my memories." Index's face fell in horror. "I'm sorry, I know it was a terrible thing I did, and for my own selfish reasons, you can bite me as much as you want." Kamijo said, head down.

"Wh-wh-why? Why did you lie Toma?" Index asked with a stutter.

"I didn't want to see you unhappy. I wanted to see you smile. So I lied! I pretended to be the person who saved you, but in reality I'm not. I don't deserve to have you with me."

"T-T-Toma..." Index said sadly. "Then that means... you really didn't remember me that time in the hospital. I-"

"Allow me to interrupt." Etrig cut in. "Kamijo lied, he was a real jerk not letting his family and friends know about his memory condition. However, he is still a very similar person to who he was, and he made that choice for _you_ Index." Index's head rose with that comment. "It must've been real difficult for Kamijo here, but he still kept up appearances to make sure no one discovered his memory loss, especially you Index. I can't say I understand how you must feel Index, but remember, Kamijo's still been very nice to you. He's taken care of you for no reason but he cares about you. That says a lot."

"Toma... I'm sorry!" Index shouted suddenly.

"Huh?" Kamijo replied stupidly as Etrig smirked.

"I'm sorry, you've been so good to me, despite not even remembering me, and yet all I've done is burden your wallet and bite you. I know I've been a big burden to you, I should leave now."

"Your apology is appreciated, but unnecessary. I've taken care of you because I care about you. And getting to know you once again has only deepened that feeling. If you leave, it's understandable, but don't leave for my sake. I want you with me!" Index blushed.

"Keep it down." Etrig said. "Tsuchimikado is right next door."

"You know about him too?" Kamijo asked in surprise.

"Yep. But don't ask me who's side that super-spy is really on. Even I don't have a clue." Etrig replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm glad you two have sorted this out, but don't worry you two, there is a way to bring back Kamijo's memories."

"Really?!" Both Kamijo and Index replied at once.

"Yep. Probably, I don't really know, but there's bound to be a spell or something that can bring his memories back. And even if there's not, I'll make one with my own two hands!" Etrig said loudly, putting a fist in Kamijo's face.

"Now who needs to keep it down?" Kamijo said.

"Heh, heh." Etrig scratched his head sheepishly.

"How are you going to make a spell if you're a esper?" Index questioned.

Etrig was struck in the chest by a proverbial arrow. "You're really shooting down my credibility here, you know that?"

"So Index, ... do you think we can move on as before, now that we've reached an understanding about my memory loss?" Kamijo asked nervously, reaching a hand out.

"Yes." Index replied, nodding, then giving a smile while grabbing Kamijo's hand.

"Great. I'm glad we've got that settled. I'm leaving, see you tomorrow Kamijo." Etrig said, leaving the room.

"Huh?"

* * *

Accelerator was walking through town towards the meeting place that boy had specified. Normally he wouldn't even bother giving the idiot a second thought, but he knew about Last Order, meaning he was dangerous. Interestingly enough, the place he had specified was a tunnel that, according to his knowledge of the secret cameral system of Academy City, was completely unmonitored from the inside.

Accelerator arrived and walked into the tunnel. Halfway through, he saw the boy and the boy saw him, and started waving.

"Hey!" He could hear the boy call.

"Don't 'hey' me, we're not buddies." Accelerator spoke as he stopped in front of the boy. "You better tell me what you know about Last Order, or else I swear I'm going to-" Accelerator's rant was interrupted, as he suddenly felt his body pushed to the ground. He was laying on his front, and for some reason couldn't get up.

"Now, now. Let's keep things friendly okay?" The boy said, holding his fingers in a position as if he'd just snapped them.

"Ugh..." Accelerator could tell he was dealing with someone with the ability to manipulate gravity, so he reached for his choker to attempt to reflect the gravity vectors away from him.

"Don't waste your battery life, I already told you, I have no intention to harm you." Accelerator felt the gravity on him lighten and he pulled himself up. "Since I already know your name, allow me to introduce myself, my name is Etrig."

"Don't care." Accelerator replied simply.

"Harsh, but anyways-"

"Anyways, what do you know about Last Order? More importantly, how do you know about Last Order?"

"Take a few wild guesses to how I know, I'm on a tight schedule, and I have my own agenda here."

"Tch. You understand that if you mess with Last Order I kill you, right?"

"Wow, you really are the perfect villain." Accelerator tensed but didn't flinch at that comment. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Anyways, to start with, do you believe in magic?"

* * *

"Magic?" Accelerator started to laugh. "Here I was, thinking there was actually something to worry about, when really, it's just a self-righteous, high born kid who still believes in fairy tales and magic!" Accelerator started laughing harder.

"Suppose if magic did exist?" Etrig calmly interrupted Accelerator's laughter.

"This is the city of science, no one here believes in magic."

"Fairly true, but elsewhere, many believe in magic. If magic did exist, what rules would it follow? Would it be like our own esper abilities? Would it basically be Multi-skill? These are questions I ask myself, in an attempt to understand the other world, not just prove it wrong."

"It's an interesting point you bring up, but I'm _not_ interested. I hope this isn't what you brought me here for."

"No, no. Just a mere side conversation. Tell me, what do you think of when you hear level 0?"

"Pathetic weaklings. Oh, and I suppose there is that one that beat me up."

"Really? Well I happen to be a level 0 too, interestingly enough."

"What? How is that possible? The ability to manipulate gravity with that type of precision should be at least level 3."

"But gravity manipulation isn't all my ability can do. And no, it's not multi-skill or dual-skill."

"I see, so you're saying have one of those rare abilities that most level 5s have that allows for multiple applications. But how then, did you get sat at level 0?"

"I don't know. It appears they couldn't detect my ability. Just like Toma Kamijo, the 'hero' who beat you up, I'm considered a level 0 with no abilities to speak of, despite that being overwhelmingly, obviously untrue."

"Like heck, that stupid hero doesn't have an ability! So, you know about him too? You really are a pretentious high born kid."

"Fall." Etrig said as he snapped his fingers, causing Accelerator to plummet to the ground from the increased gravity again. "You're really being rude, you know that?"

"Says the one pushing my face into concrete." Accelerator replied smartly.

"Oh yeah, here you go." The gravity let up on Accelerator, and he stood up again.

"You know, you don't actually make any noise when you snap your fingers. It's just ridiculous." Accelerator commented.

"Heh, heh. Yeah, I don't know how to snap my fingers." Etrig replied sheepishly. "Anyways, let's get to the reason I'm here. You'll do anything to protect Last Order right?"

"Yes." Accelerator replied without hesitation.

"But you don't believe you can be redeemed. You think no matter what you do, you're still on a one-way trip to hell, don't you?"

"As if I could be redeemed." Accelerator sneered at the thought.

"But you'll make Last Order sad."

"Huh?"

"You can't protect Last Order forever, _unless_ you follow her to heaven."

"Your point?"

"Killing is the worst crime one can commit. You've killed many. That makes you beyond redemption, that's what you think isn't it?"

"Maybe, what do you care?"

"Well, it doesn't matter what you do, you can always be forgiven as long as you're truly sorry, and you work to be redeemed. If you redeem yourself with your actions, and not just your words, you truly can protect Last Order forever."

"But I'm not like that. Leave me alone."

"You can be. You will be. It is possible to protect what you hold dear without killing, you know this yourself, now you just have to do it."

"For some strange kid I just met, you're meddling in my life way too much." Accelerator said with disdain.

Etrig clutched his heart. "Ow... that hurt. Anyways, you may be right, but do you really want to protect Last Order?!"

"Yeah."

"Then prove you have the resolve to protect her forever, with your words and your actions, do you promise to _try_ to redeem yourself?!"

"Making promises with a little kid, boy, how the mighty have fallen."

"If you have the will, you have the way, prove you have the will and you _will_ redeem yourself."

"Fine kid, if it'll make you leave me alone I sincerely promise to redeem myself by not killing, that work for you?"

"Yes, as long as you actually do it."

"Great." With that, Accelerator turned to leave.

"Wait." Accelerator turned around and Etrig walked up to him. "Stand still." Etrig told him.

"Wha-" Etrig put his hand on Accelerator's head. "What the he-"

"My ability allows me to perform any action that's part of a game. I can fix your brain and allow you to use your ability again."

"What?!" Accelerator shouted. "Why didn't you mention that in the first place, you little brat?"

"You brain got shot, weakening the electrical signals of your brain and severing the ties between your brain and body. An easy remedy. All I've got to do is reconnect everything, like a puzzle game." Etrig said, giving a smile.

"Are you treating my brain like a game?"

"I have to, or my ability won't work. There, done." Etrig backed off a few feet. "All right now. I'm going to throw a fireball at you, and you use your ability to reflect it into that wall." Etrig said, pointing to his right. He then gathered a small fireball in his right hand. "Remember, don't use that choker of yours." Etrig threw the fireball at Accelerator. Accelerator quickly and instinctually made the required calculations and reflected the fireball to his left.

"Whoa. You actually managed to fix my ability."

"Yep. I'm glad it worked, that's the first time I've used my ability like that."

"Wait, you mean I was your test rat?!" Accelerator asked indignantly.

"No, no, no. Well I guess technically you were, but that wasn't my intention, I fully and sincerely wanted to help you."

"You said your ability allows you to perform any action that is part of a game. That doesn't make sense. Esper abilities are based on science, an ability being based on human terms is unheard of."

"Well, what ability can you think of that allows me to increase gravity, create fire, and fix brain damage?"

"...I'll believe you for now."

"Great."

"Well I hate to follow a cliché, but I seriously owe you my life now, or maybe just a large debt."

"Huh?" Etrig replied dumbly in complete confusion.

"Now that you've fixed my ability, I can protect Last Order. _And_ I don't have to go to school now. Not to mention, honestly, I don't know if I could take one more day of that annoying brat's whining. I've spent over 10 million yen on coffee the last month alone."

"You do know coffee doesn't help with headaches right?"

"Of course I do, let me finish. Now that I don't have to worry about saving my battery power I can finally reflect sound vectors away again."

"Yep, although I recommend keeping that choker of yours, it could come in handy again. I'm not really sure about you owing me a large debt or anything, but remember this:" Etrig's face turned dark. "I can take your ability away anytime I want, I just have to recreate the situation that lead to you losing it in the first place."

"That better not be a threat to Last Order."

"As long as you're a good boy it won't be. However, as far as the whole debt thing goes, I can only think of 2 things for now."

"And what are those?" Accelerator asked, very annoyed. Now that he could reflect sound vectors again, he really needed a nap, not to mention this whole ordeal with an annoying brat really tuckered him out.

"First... please be my friend!" Etrig said happily and childishly as he bowed.

"What?" Accelerator's face fell as he was utterly dumbfounded.

"Let's be friends, you seem like a real interesting guy, I think we would be good friends. Pleaseeee?" Etrig started begging with the long face, child voice, and puppy dog eyes. Honestly, he was almost as good at begging as Last Order.

"Fine, whatever, it's not like I have a choice."

"Yay!" Etrig shouted in joy, his voice being as high as Last Order. Seriously, how was that even possible? "Now for the second thing. I would like for you to drop out of GROUP."

"I can't do that. If I do, Last Order will be in danger."

Etrig's face returned to being completely serious. "Don't worry. I'll make sure that the underworld can't touch you."

"Can you do that?"

"Life is a game, a game that I don't lose." Etrig smirked. "Of course I can."

"Very well, if those are your requests you've got it. I'm going home now." Accelerator said, turning around and walking out.

"Okay, see you tomorrow!" Etrig happily shouted, waving at Accelerator's leaving figure.

* * *

 **Me: See Accelerator? You found out anyways**

 **Accelerator: Let me get this straight; I'm dealing with _2_ brats now?**

 **Me: Yep**

 **Accelerator: Rotten luck**

 **Kamijo: Hey! You can't be the first one to use _my_ catchphrase in this story**

 **Tsuchimikado: Have him repay you by joining your harem**

 **Kamijo: I do not have a harem! And what are you even doing here Tsuchimikado?**

 **Accelerator: Take that back you (censored) before I kill you!**

 **Me: Tsuchimikado, you're not allowed down here! At least, not yet**

 **Tsuchimikado: I'll be taking my leave now! Teleportation-jutsu! (throws a smoke bomb)**

 **Me: Where'd he go?**

 **Accelerator: I'm done with you all, the chapter's over!**


	5. Episode 5:New student (mysteries abound)

**Me:** **I just want to inform everyone that when a new chapter comes out, competitions for FP from previous chapters are still open until someone correctly guesses it.**

* * *

"Class, please welcome another new transfer student." Ms. Komoe spoke to the class. Himegami sighed. Three new transfer students meant that she would no longer retain the little attention she got from being the new transfer student. The door opened and everyone turned their heads to see the new student walk in. They were slightly surprised to see that he was only two or three inches taller than Komoe. He had black, curly hair, rainbow colored eyes, and was strangely enough, not wearing the school uniform, but instead wearing a red T-shirt and blue shorts.

"Hello there, wait. Ms. Komoe, can I please borrow your stool?" The class heard the boy speak as he walked behind the teacher's desk.

"Uh... here, take this spare."

"Thanks." The class saw the boy standing in front of them on the stool. "Hello there, my name is Etrig."

'I knew it was him.' Kamijo thought upon hearing this. Accelerator hadn't been paying attention, but his head snapped up when he heard this name.

"Oh hey Accelerator, Kamijo, it's so great to see you two here!" Etrig called and waved when he noticed they were paying attention to him.

"Etrig here would typically be in the eight grade, but he's proven his intelligence to be above and beyond, and so he'll be taking our class." Ms. Komoe explained.

"Wait! You know Kami and Accelerator?" Tsuchimikado blurted.

"Indeed I do, they're friends of mine."

"Is this true?" Kamijo asked Accelerator.

"I guess, not really, so you know this kid too?"

"Yep."

"Oh my, it appears our new transfer student is already making waves. Well Etrig, please take the seat behind Kamijo, in the end of the column." Komoe instructed.

"Thanks teacher." Etrig said happily. When he spoke again, his voice was a whisper. "I know it's your own choice and all, but I recommend cutting _way_ down on the alcohol and cigarettes, you don't want to ruin that cute self of yours for Kamijo." Etrig winked as he finished with a smile on his face.

Ms. Komoe's face exploded in red as Etrig went to his desk. Unfortunately though, everyone except Kamijo and Accelerator were staring at him in fury for making their teacher blush.

'I guess that rumor about the teacher liking Kamijo was true.' Etrig thought as he sat down.

"Why's everyone staring at me? It makes me feel bad." Etrig asked Kamijo, his voice small and childish.

"Our class is pretty protective of our teacher." Kamijo replied.

"Ohhhh. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass the teacher or anything."

"What did you say to her?" Kamijo asked.

"I just gave her some advice on her drinking and smoking problems."

'How does he know about that?' Kamijo thought.

"Alright now class, it's time for me to make sure you all were paying attention during the review yesterday, cause we're reviewing it again." Ms. Komoe said with a smile on her face. "All of you who weren't paying attention will be staying after for a game of no-eyed poker." Komoe smiled again, but this time the smile was the kind of smile that gave you a terrifying feeling.

* * *

It was lunchtime. Tsuchimikado and Aogami were returning to class from the lunchroom. Neither of them had brought a boxed lunch today. Maika had been busy with maid school duties, and no one knew much about Aogami's situation. He was a mystery. About some things. About other things...

"I'm telling you Tsuchimikado, bunny girls are much, much better than fox girls." Aogami said as he head into the classroom. No one in the room paid much attention to him. The only other ones in the room were: Kamijo, Accelerator and Last Order, Etrig, and Fukiyose. Wait. I could've sworn I saw another girl in the room. Must've been my imagination.

"No fair." Himegami grumbled to her friend, Fukiyose Seiri.

"What do you mean?"

"The narrator can't just write me off like that, leaving only a subtle hint I was even here."

"What are you talking about? Do I need to get you a doctor?"

Himegami blushed slightly, realizing what she just said. "No I'm fine. Forget about it."

"Okay."

"Kami!" Tsuchimikado shouted from right in front of Kamijo's desk.

Kamijo recoiled from the noise. "What?"

"Help us settle an argument. W-"

"No." Kamijo replied.

"What? But wh-"

"Because your arguments are perverted, and I don't want to get beaten up by Fukiyose. Not to mention, these children here don't need to get exposed to your perverted-ness." Kamijo said referring to Etrig and Last Order.

"Yep. So it would be greatly appreciated if you refrain from having such conversations around us, understand?" Etrig asked.

"But Kami," Aogami started to protest "How can you dare call our arguments per-" Aogami was interrupted by a fist to the head.

"If you dare taint these poor children, I'll beat you so hard, the only word you'll remember is pain." Fukiyose threatened, a look of malice on her face.

"Y-y-yes Fukiyose!" Aogami and Tsuchimikado replied nervously.

The rest of the lunch period went without event, as Etrig explained to Last Order and Kamijo how he met Accelerator, while Fukiyose stared at Aogami and Tsuchimikado anytime they got anywhere close to Etrig or Last Order.

* * *

The school day was over, and Mikoto Misaka was walking towards her dorm with Kuroko Shirai. She was planning on spending the rest of the day reading Gekota comics and studying.

"Sissy. What should we do first when we get home?" Kuroko questioned.

"Don't ask me about you, but _I'm_ going to read Gekota."

"Still into such childish things." Kuroko chastised.

"Gekota is not-" Misaka was interrupted by her phone ringing. "Hello?"

"Hello Sissy." Etrig's voice spoke through the telephone. "I just wanted to let you know that I have moved out of the Tokiwadai dorms, so you won't be seeing me around there."

"Okay, good to know- wait a second! How'd you get my number?"

"What do you mean? You gave it to me after our duel. Is your memory that bad? Should I get you to a doctor?"

"No! Look, thanks for letting me know, bye."

"By-" Etrig was interrupted as Misaka hung up.

"Who was that, Sissy?"

"Etrig. He was just letting me know that he moved out of the dorms."

"Thank goodness. I pray for the poor girls that get that room next."

* * *

It was 6:23 P.M. The sun was currently setting in the backdrop as Etrig stood on a rooftop watching the Windowless Building.

"Now what are you doing up here?" A joking voice asked from behind.

"Motoharu Tsuchimikado. The ultimate spy, no one really knows what side he's really on. Now just why have you taken an interest in little old me?" Etrig asked, turning around.

Tsuchimikado was shocked that the boy knew this, but quickly hid it. "I'll cut to the chase." Tsuchimikado said, his voice still joking. "You do know that being friends with Accelerator is dangerous, don't you?"

"What do you mean?"

Tsuchimikado got serious. "I mean, he's the number one esper in Academy City, danger swarms him. If he's willing to let you call him your friend, then surely you know about that danger."

"Yeah, so? I can protect myself."

"And what about Kamijo? What do you know about him?"

"If you mean the Imagine Breaker, I know plenty. Although, there's still a lot I don't know, especially about magic. It's always dangerous with his rotten luck, that's what you're worried about, isn't it?"

"Kid, who are you?"

"What do you mean? I'm just a plain old level 0 esper. That's what I got on my test anyways."

"If you're going to dodge that question, then fine. Why are you willing to be friends with those two, knowing the danger? Are you trying to recruit them to some sort of group?"

"I'm not like you Tsuchimikado. I wouldn't become friends with someone, just to recruit them to a group. Although, to say I don't have that intention wouldn't be accurate either. But that's not why I'm friends with them, there are much easier ways to recruit someone than that."

"Then why _are_ you friends with them?"

"Cause," Etrig smiled. "Things are always interesting with people like them around."

" _That's_ your reasoning?"

"I also want to help them out."

"I see. How do you know about magic?"

"If you mean how did I find out about it, that's a secret."

"Kid. This is a dangerous game you're playing."

"What do you mean?"

"Getting involved with magic will only cost you your life. The dark side of Academy City is nothing to scoff at either."

"Well I know that, but don't worry."

"Huh?"

"Life is a game, a game that I don't lose."

"I see then. Just be careful, you don't know what you're getting into. Of course, I couldn't care less, really." Tsuchimikado smirked.

"Tsuchimikado, despite how you act, you do have a moral compass, don't you?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"Just talking to myself. Anyways, I want to invite you."

"To what?"

"A little meeting I'm having this weekend. Index Librorum Prohibitorum, the Imagine Breaker, Accelerator, Deep Blood, the Railgun, and a member of Judgment are all planned to be in intendance."

"Sounds like you'll be taking quite the impressive roll call." Tsuchimikado joked.

"Yep." Etrig replied. 'And with the other guests I have planned it'll be all the more interesting.'

"I'm in. When?"

"This Saturday, 2:00 P.M, eat lunch first."

"Alright." Tsuchimikado left the roof through the door.

* * *

The next morning at school...

"Maid girls are better!"

"Butler girls are better!" Tsuchimikado and Aogami shouted their respective opinions throughout the classroom.

"Clearly, it's assassin girls." Accelerator remarked dryly, hoping to scare them off their stupid conversation. He would've just reflected the sound vectors away until class started, but Etrig had told him he wasn't allowed to reflect sound vectors in school.

'God, why do I have to listen to that kid? Oh right. Why did I say that I owed my life? It's true, but still. Ugh, that was stupid! Then again, he did threaten Last Order if I didn't listen to him, anyways.'

Unfortunately for Accelerator, throwing his hat in the ring had the adverse effect of what he hoped.

"Assassin girls huh?" Aogami remarked. "But which kind?"

"Huh?" Accelerator didn't know there was multiple kinds.

"Yeah, Accel." Tsuchimikado said, the nickname earning him a glare from Accelerator.

"Misaka likes the gun type assassin girl, Misaka Misaka exclaims in order to be heard in the conversation."

"That's not what I meant." Aogami explained.

"What we mean is; big chest assassins or short skirt assassin?" Tsuchimikado pressed.

"Could you guys please not have this discussion in front of my desk?!" Kamijo shouted, fearing for his life being taken by the beast Iron-Wall girl, Fukiyose.

"What's wrong with you two?" Etrig spoke up.

"Huh?" Aogami and Tsuchimikado replied at once.

"Why are you so obsessed with girls? Assassins don't have to be girls. The best type of assassin is clearly the little brother type assassin." Etrig pointed out.

"How dare you insult the genre that is Japanese costume girls?!" Aogami questioned indignantly.

"That's right! As men, we must respect and honor Japanese costume girls!" Tsuchimikado agreed.

"You three! What did I tell you about having your perverted discussions around the children in class?" A demon's voice came from behind.

"Fukiyose!" The Delta Force's faces were covered in sweat, as a single fist somehow made its way towards all three of them at once.

Tsuchimikado and Aogami were defeated in one mighty blow, their HP disappearing in a flash. Kamijo however, was saved by a hand catching Fukiyose's fist.

"It's really not fair for you to hit Kamijo, he wasn't involved in their discussion." Etrig spoke as he let go of Fukiyose's hand.

"If that's what you say." Fukiyose responded, going back to her desk. Just then, Ms. Komoe walked into the room.

"Oh my. Whose turn is it to give notes to them when they wake up?" Ms. Komoe asked, smiling.

* * *

"So, will you three come? I hope Index can come too." Etrig had just finished explaining his planned activity for Saturday, in between bites of his lunch.

Accelerator just stared with his jaw dropped, as he watched Etrig devour close to the same amount of food that nun had when he treated her to food.

"How... can you eat so much?" Accelerator asked seriously.

"Huh? I'm a growing young boy, isn't this normal?"

"No, that is not normal!" Kamijo shouted. All the while, Last Order silently nibbled the lunch Etrig had brought for her.

"Anyways, about Saturday... are you coming?" Etrig asked awkwardly, slightly embarrassed by all the attention his appetite had drawn.

"I can come. As long as no one asks about her residence here in Academy City, Index can come too." Kamijo answered. Accelerator was slightly puzzled about why asking about that nun's residence would be a problem, but he didn't care enough to ask.

"I'm not going." Accelerator told, as he took a bite of his sandwich.

"Why not?" Etrig whined.

"Cause I don't want to."

"Accelerator! This is a chance for us to all get to know each other! I want to get to know my new friend, Last Order too." Etrig said, petting Last Order on the head.

"Misaka wants to go as well, says Misaka Misaka, hoping to get to know her new friends on this endeavor."

"Fine! But in return, I'm reflecting the sound vectors away for the rest of lunch." Accelerator said, immediately activating his ability to reflect the sound vectors away.

"Yay!" Etrig and Last Order exclaimed at once, causing Kamijo to plug his ears with his fingers.

* * *

 **Me: That's the end of the chapter, I hoped everyone enjoyed!**

 **Accelerator: So I have to do whatever that kid says now?**

 **Me: Pretty much**

 **Accelerator: Shoot!**

 **Kamijo: I'm just glad my rotten luck hasn't acted yet this series**

 **Me: Yeah. Although, with this little rotten luck acting on you thus far, you'll probably be the first one to die**

 **Kamijo: Wait, what?!**

 **Me: See you next chapter!**


	6. Episode 6: Announcement (invitation)

**Just a note I wanted to make, regarding Etrig's ability in fights; since it's based off games, there'll be a lot of references in this series. When done for comedic effect they may be bleeped out like this: Gok* being Goku or Pok***n being Pokémon, when done seriously they won't be bleeped out. Now to answer reviews:**

 **BlackGhost6200: Correct! 10 FP for you**

* * *

It was Thursday afternoon. The school day had passed by with little event, and now Misaka and Kuroko were walking home together once again.

"Sissy, could you help me with my studies a bit today?"

"Sure, but aren't your grades great right now?"

"W-well yeah, but I was hoping you could help me keep them that way."

"Yeah sure, I'm always willing to help." Just then, Misaka noticed Etrig walking up to them.

"Hey! How are you two?" Etrig called as he jogged to them.

"You! How'd you even get in here?" Kuroko asked.

"I just walked in."

"What?! You have to have an exclusive invitation from someone in the School Garden to get in, and that's _if_ you're a girl, so it shouldn't be possible for you to get in." Kuroko explained.

"Well that's simple, I have an invitation."

"From who?" Misaka asked.

"No matter Sissy, I have more pressing matters to converse with you."

"Like what?"

"I would like to invite you and Kuroko Shirai to a little get-together I'm having this weekend."

"Oh really? Sounds like fun, _if_ we can get permission to come." Misaka responded.

"I'll text you the details, but for some extra incentive, I'll inform you that, "SISTERS" serial number 10032, and Toma Kamijo, or 'that idiot', will all be in attendance."

"Wait, what?" Misaka asked shocked.

"What's he talking about Sissy?" Kuroko asked. "Wait, 'that idiot'... don't tell me it's that troglodyte!"

"Big words Kuroko, very impressive." Etrig complimented childishly, clapping his hands.

"I'm sorry, but there's no way we'll be able t-"

"We'll be there!" Misaka interrupted Kuroko.

"Yay! See you there Sissy." Etrig walked away into the crowd, and soon Kuroko and Misaka couldn't see him.

'So he knows about the SISTERS project too huh?.' Misaka thought to herself.

"Why are we going to be there?" Kuroko asked.

"C-c-cause, Etrig's our new friend isn't he? We should get to know him better." Misaka replied nervously.

"Uh-huh. Are you _sure_ it's not because that troglodyte's going to be there?"

"What?! O-of course not! I just want to enjoy some time out together with our new friend. Besides, I'm sure it won't be _that_ hard to convince our dorm mother to let us go out for one day this weekend."

Kuroko sighed. "Very well Sissy, if that's what you want, then that's what we'll do."

* * *

Meanwhile, a certain Esper/Magician spy was talking on the phone.

"Uh-huh. Got it. That's not good. So you'll be in Academy City this weekend? Understood. See you then... Stiyl." With that, our resident spy hung up.

* * *

It was Friday morning, and Misaka was sitting in her desk, waiting for class to begin.

"Did you hear?" Misaka heard a girl ask someone else away from her desk. "Someone saw a boy on school grounds yesterday."

"What? No way." Misaka heard another girl reply.

"Yes way. I also heard that someone saw a boy on school grounds _this morning_."

"What?!" A third girl asked. "That can't be!"

'What's this about boys?' Misaka thought to herself. 'As if there'd be any boys on campus.'

 _Meanwhile, in the office..._

"You ready?" A woman asked the boy standing in front of the speaker system.

"Yep." He replied happily.

"Good. You're on in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, now."

"Hello there ladies!" A young child's voice came over the intercom. Misaka thought it sounded like a little boy's voice, but with kids it was harder to tell. Of course, the class immediately started clamoring at this turn of events, but were interrupted by more talking coming through the intercom.

"I'm here to make a announcement. Tokiwadai Middle School... is under attack."

The girls in the classes all around the school started panicking, with the teachers trying to calm them down.

"Could this really be happening?"

"There's no way it's a joke, the principal would never let this stand."

"What are we supposed to do?!"

 _Meanwhile, in the office again..._

"You!" The woman shouted at the boy. "That's not the announcement you were supposed to make!"

"Heh heh." The boy chuckled nervously. "Sorry about that. Don't worry, I'll fix it."

"Please remain calm, I was only kidding." The voice came through the intercom again. "The truth is, Tokiwadai has a big announcement to make, and so they called me in to make it, because they're scared."

"Kid." The woman warned sternly.

"So my real announcement is... as of next week... Tokiwadai Middle School is... becoming a co-ed school!" The girls immediately started chattering as soon as they heard this.

"Girls, girls, I can hear you from the office where I am." The voice interrupted through the intercom. "Allow me to finish. To be more precise, Tokiwadai Middle School is undergoing a trial period of being a co-ed school, in which 50 boys will start attending the school starting anytime they want within the next week. They won't move into the dorms until they've been modified to accompany males as well. So look forward to some handsome guys starting here next week!" With the announcement finished, the girls broke into whispers and chats.

"Class, class. Calm down. Now that the announcement's been made, it's time to start class." The teacher spoke.

'I can't believe there's really going to be boys here. I almost feel bad for them, dealing with the dorm mother will be even worse for them. Not to mention Kuroko. I wonder how she's taking this. Probably not well.' Misaka thought to herself.

* * *

"Rotten luck." Kamijo muttered to himself as he walked home. In the middle of the school day, he had remembered that there was no food in the fridge. And he wasn't able to buy any, because he left his wallet at home in fear of losing it.

"I should at least call and warn her about it. Maybe I'll get lucky and Maika will be able to feed her today. Yeah right. As if I'd ever be lucky in the slightest." Toma dialed Index's number and waited for her to pick up.

"H-hello? This is In- I mean, this is the Kamijo residence, how may I help you?" Index asked nervously through the phone.

"It's me Index. By the way, you don't have to use the whole 'Kamijo residence' shtick when someone calls you on your private cell phone."

"Ohhh. I get it. So why are you calling?"

"I just wanted to let you know-"

"Are you calling about how there's no food in the fridge?"

"Yeah. I left my wallet at home, so it's going to be a little while before we can eat."

"What? You left your wallet at home? How do I not know where it is then?"

"Cause if you found it we'd have no money left, and you'd be stuck eating nothing for a month."

"What?!"

"Anyways, sorry, but you'll have to hold on a little longer before I can feed you. Bye." Kamijo hung up.

* * *

Kamijo knocked on his dorm room door. "Index? I'm coming in." Kamijo walked in the door and saw Index watching Magical Powered Kanamin.

"Toma! You're home!" Index said excitingly, turning to face Kamijo.

"I'm going to take my wallet and go buy food, so please don't bite me Index!" Kamijo said as he entered his dorm.

"Okay Toma."

"Rotten lu- huh?"

"You warned me about it before, so it's only fair. Besides, Etrig left me some food, saying 'Don't eat this until 4 o'clock or you might starve to death.' So I did what he said. I'll wait until you get home."

"Thanks Index, I'm going to go out and buy some food." Kamijo said, grabbing his wallet and walking out of the room. "Phew." Kamijo breathed a sigh of relief. 'I sure was lucky Etrig fed Index for me. Wait a second... did I just experience luck? Oh no. I've got a bad feeling something bad's going to happen.' Kamijo fretted as he walked to the nearest convenience store.

* * *

 **Kamijo: It's Saturday, and Toma, Accelerator, Misaka and Etrig all meet up for their weekend get-together. Some unexpected guests appear too, and some new meetings occur, along with some dramatic reunions.**

 **Kamijo: Kuroko learns about the sisters, or at least partly. Misaka and Accelerator reach an understanding, Misaka learns about Last Order, and more.**

 **Kamijo: What?! We're going bowling?! No one's allowed to use their abilities right? I'll be at a complete disadvantage if they can! Rotten luck.**

 **Kamijo: Next time, "A bowling meet-up of epic proportions!" When Science and Magic cross paths, a story is born.**


	7. A bowling meet-up of epic proportions!

Etrig was standing outside a restaurant, waiting for his friends to arrive.

'What's taking them so long? It's 1:57.' Etrig thought to himself as he waited.

"Hello there, Misaka Misaka greets excitingly as she jumps on Etrig's back."

"Hey Last Order. Could you please get off me now?" Etrig asked.

"Okay, Misaka Misaka replies as Misaka Misaka gets off the boy's back."

"Where's Accelerator?" Etrig asked.

"Oi, why'd you run ahead, you little brat?" Accelerator's voice came from behind Etrig.

"Oh hey there Accelerator. You two are early." Etrig spoke as he turned around to face Accelerator.

"The brat insisted on leaving as early as possible." Accelerator replied.

"Misaka Misaka wanted to make sure we weren't late, in order to observe social etiquette, Misaka Misaka once again explains her reasoning to Accelerator."

"So how long are we going to be waiting for?" Accelerator asked Etrig.

"I mean, it's 1:58 already, so they should be here soon." Right on cue, Kamijo walked up to them with Index.

"Hey guys, we're not late are we?" Kamijo asked.

"No, you're fine." Etrig replied. Last Order ran up to Index, and the two began talking.

"It's nice to meet you, Misaka Misaka greets the savior's friend."

"It's nice to meet you too. Your speech pattern is familiar from somewhere."

"Hey Himegami." Kamijo said.

"Hello there." Himegami spoke from behind Etrig, causing him to swiftly turn around.

"Himegami?! What are you doing there? I haven't even invited you yet!"

"You said 'yet', meaning you were planning on inviting me, weren't you?"

"Well yeah, but that's not the point. How long have you been there anyways?" Etrig responded.

"I was here a couple minutes after you."

"Who are you, Kuro**?!" Etrig asked.

"Actually, I consider myself more of a Mayuzu**."

"Oh, so you consider yourself more selfish, and not wanting to be unnoticed?"

Himegami nodded her head, while Kamijo was completely lost, he had no idea what they were talking about.

Accelerator began to walk off to get coffee.

"Where are you going?" Kamijo asked.

"Now that you're here, I know I can leave Last Order here for a few minutes. If anything happens to her, I _will_ kill you _._ " Kamijo shivered at the clear threat. "I'm going to go buy some-" Accelerator turned, noticing the stares from Etrig and Last Order. Accelerator sighed as he turned back to Kamijo. "Tea, I'm going to go buy some tea." Accelerator walked off, leaving the rest of the gang to converse.

"So how'd you meet the savior, Misaka Misaka questions the sister."

"Well you see, back when I first entered-" Index was interrupted by Misaka and Kuroko walking up to them.

"Hello Sissy." Etrig greeted.

"What's Short Hair doing here?" Index asked.

"What are _you_ doing here, Silver Sister?" Misaka replied. Kuroko noticed a small girl that looked like her Sissy, but decided to follow Misaka's chosen order of actions.

"I was invited here with Toma, and you?"

"I was invited also. You're still hanging out with that pervert?" Misaka spoke, referring to Kamijo.

"It's rude to refer to someone as a pervert Sissy, unless it's you or Kuroko." Etrig spoke.

"What's that mean?!" Misaka shouted.

"Hello there big sister, Misaka Misaka greets her big sister, excited to meet her."

"Huh?" Misaka turned her head to see who the voice had come from, when another voice spoke from the opposite direction she and Kuroko had come from.

"I leave for two minutes, and the third-rate shows up."

"Accelerator?!" Misaka said, surprised, her body giving off sparks.

"That's my name, don't wear it out." Accelerator replied as he walked up to Last Order, carrying a grocery bag.

"What are you doing here?" Misaka asked.

"Hey Kuroko, let's go over there and talk." Etrig said, pushing Kuroko away before Kuroko could give a response.

"You see this brat here?" Accelerator nodded his head toward Last Order. "She's SISTERS serial number 20001, also known as the control tower, or Last Order."

"That still doesn't explain why you're here."

"Let me finish. I happen to be this little brat's caretaker right now."

"What?! Why should I trust you with the safety of one of my sisters?!"

"Calm down Zapper. It's okay, Accelerator's turned over a new leaf. He's been taking care of Last Order for a while, and he even saved the entire SISTERS network from a virus." Kamijo told Misaka.

"Grrr." Misaka shook in rage as she tried not to release a million volts of electricity.

"Please big sister, Accelerator's a good guy, Misaka Misaka tells big sister, in an attempt to help her understand."

"Alright. If you both trust him, then I don't really have any more say than you two anyways."

"If it makes you feel any better third-rate," Accelerator started. "I'm... sorry." Accelerator apologized. 'As if apologizing helps the situation any.'

"If you think that's all it'll take for me to forgive you, you're crazy. But... this idiot and my sister seem to trust you, so that's all I'll say for now." Misaka responded.

"Yay! Misaka Misaka is glad we reached an understanding, Misaka Misaka cheers as she jumps up and down excitingly."

"What's going on?" Index asked.

"No need to worry, it's settled." Kamijo told her.

"Hello Index." Himegami spoke now that there was relative silence.

"Hey Himegami! It's great to see you here."

"I agree." Himegami nodded her head. At that moment, someone rode past the group on a skateboard. The person in question turned around and came to a stop on the sidewalk right next to the ever-growing group.

"Hello there, Misaka greets the group of familiar faces."

"Aah! You're that girl Toma brought home!" Index exclaimed, recognizing the goggles-wearing girl, who began to take off her goggles. She was wearing the Tokiwadai uniform, and had a light blue, heart-shaped necklace on.

"You're Misaka 10032, right?" Mikoto asked.

"Indeed. And I see that serial number 20001 is here too, Misaka comments in disdain."

"Hello! Misaka Misaka greets serial number 10032 happily, ignoring the rude comment made by serial number 10032."

"Toma, what's going on? Why are there so many Short Hairs?" Index asked.

"I'll let Misaka explain." Kamijo replied.

"I'll wait until Kuroko comes back, so I only have to explain it once." Mikoto said.

"Misaka also notes that the savior and Accelerator are here too, Misaka says, although only truly being pleased at _one_ of the aforementioned peoples' presence."

"We're back!" Etrig called as he walked towards them with Kuroko.

"Hello there Etrig. Misaka is glad to meet you in person. Serial number 20001 holds you in high regards, Misaka says, greeting the boy."

"Etrig finds it nice to meet you in person as well, Etrig says, attempting to replicate Misaka's pattern of speech."

"What's going on Sissy? Why are there two girls that look like you here?" Kuroko asked.

"You see, this is my younger twin sister." Mikoto said, pointing to Misaka 10032. "And this," Mikoto gestured to Last Order. "Is my younger sister Last Order."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Kuroko asked.

"Cause, I wanted to spare them the trouble you pervert."

"Is that really _the_ Accelerator?" Kuroko asked.

"Yep." Mikoto responded.

"It is nice to meet you. My name's Himegami." Himegami said from in front of Mikoto and Kuroko.

"Whoa! Where did you come from?" Kuroko asked.

"I was standing here the entire time."

"Is your Esper ability invisibility?" Mikoto asked.

"I don't have an Esper ability." Himegami replied quietly.

"Is it time to go yet?" Accelerator asked impatiently.

"Not quite yet." Etrig replied. "We're still waiting on one more person."

"Who?" Kamijo asked.

"Hey Kami." A joking voice came from behind.

"Oh no." Kamijo said, already knowing who it was even before he turned around. "What are you doing here Tsuchimikado?"

"Who are you?" Kuroko asked.

"Motoharu Tsuchimikado, Kami's friend from class." Tsuchimikado told them.

"Who's Kami?" Kuroko questioned.

"Toma Kamijo." Etrig answered her question. "Known to you as 'that troglodyte', he's also known as: 'that boy', 'the spiky-haired boy', 'that idiot', 'hero', 'the savior', and 'Kami'. He goes by a lot of personas."

"You have an awful lot of aliases. Sounds like a criminal." Kuroko said, leaning closer to Kamijo with a suspicious tone of voice.

"Oh come on! I have that many aliases because people like you and Zapper can't bother to remember my name!" Kamijo complained.

"Stop calling me that, you idiot!" Misaka shouted, sparks flying off her towards Etrig and Kamijo, each of them blocking it with their right hand.

"Seems like you and Kamijo agree on this subject. So how about you both just call each other by your name? There, plain and simple." Etrig spoke.

"That works for me. As long as Misaka stops calling me an idiot all the time, I'll be happy." Kamijo said.

"Fine. If it'll get you to call me by my name, K-K-K-K-Kamijo." Misaka made a breakthrough.

"Wow third-rate. I can't believe it's that hard for you to say his name."

"You're no better!" Misaka countered.

"I can't believe you've got the Railgun of Tokiwadai in your harem!" Tsuchimikado shouted teasingly to Kamijo, causing Mikoto to blush.

"I don't have a harem!" Kamijo adamantly denied.

"How can you be so blind?" Tsuchimikado asked angrily.

"I don't have a harem! It's obvious, isn't it?" Kamijo replied, confused.

"I agree. I haven't seen a single girl act like they like Kamijo around him since I've came here." Etrig spoke.

"Thank you!" Kamijo said, glad someone else had common sense.

"I honestly don't care about all of this, can we get going already?" Accelerator asked.

"Sure, everyone's here, I think. Misaka 10032, a head count please." Etrig said.

"Including Misaka, there are currently 10 people here, Misaka informs the lazy boy."

"Thank you. Calling me lazy was unnecessary, however."

"Do you know where we're going, Misaka Misaka questions the boy, excited to begin her day out with her friends."

"Yep, just follow me." Etrig said, walking off, the rest of the gang follows. As they were walking, Misaka 10032 took Kamijo's arm and pressed it against her chest, causing Mikoto and Kamijo to blush.

"What are you doing?!" Mikoto shouted.

"How dare you defile a relative of Sissy?!" Kuroko shouted.

"Not only a level 5, but her twin too? Just how far has your harem advanced while I wasn't paying attention Kami?" Tsuchimikado questioned.

"I don't. Have. A harem!" Kamijo replied.

"Do you like Magical Powered Kanamin?" Index asked Last Order, choosing to ignore Kamijo in favor of making a new friend.

"I do, Misaka Misaka exclaims, glad to meet a fellow fan."

Himegami walked in the back with Accelerator, pondering the best strategy to advance her path with Kamijo faster than all the other girls that constantly surrounded him, while Accelerator just reflected the sound vectors away.

"Get off him!" Mikoto demanded of 10032 as Kuroko stared at Kamijo in envy.

"Why should Misaka, Misaka asks as she ignores big sister's command."

"Because, it'll be bad for my reputation if someone who looks like me is seen doing this." Mikoto explained.

"Big sister can simply explain to anyone who brings it up to her about the existence of a 'twin' sister, Misaka offers a simple solution."

"Just get off him!" Mikoto once again demanded, sparks of electricity coming off her.

"If you know about Kami, surely you know about his harem." Tsuchimikado said to Etrig as they walked at the front of the group.

"Of course I do, but it's not like there's a girl in his harem who's not at least a partial tsundere. Maybe Itsuwa." Etrig responded.

"That's a girl from the Amakusa Church, isn't it? You really do know about magic."

"You know about magic?" Himegami questioned.

"Aah!" Etrig shouted in surprise. "Sorry Himegami, you're really good at showing up out of nowhere. I'll pay closer attention in the future."

"Thanks." Himegami nodded her head. "You know about magic?" Himegami repeated.

"Yep. And you're the possessor of the 'Deep Blood' ability, aren't you?" Etrig asked.

"Indeed, although it has been sealed away, and can no longer harm any vampires." Himegami replied, touching the cross on her chest.

"Good for you. I may have a way for you to be able use magic without your ability running free."

"Unfortunately, I am unable to use magic, as such I am able to enter the power-development curriculum."

"Hmm... that's troublesome. After all, we can't have you becoming an unnoticed side character that can't help Toma in battle, and therefore has few chances to develop relationship points with him."

"I agree. Hopefully, I'll be able to develop an ability."

"I don't think you are." Tsuchimikado spoke up. "According to the Academy City database, your 'Deep Blood' ability is a gemstone ability, meaning you can't develop another ability."

"That's too bad."

"Don't worry, just become a nurse." Etrig said.

"What do you mean?" Himegami asked.

"Kami's constantly getting injured, so you just have to become a nurse, then Kami can see you in a cute nurse's outfit all the time and eventually fall for you." Tsuchimikado spoke.

"Why are you helping me?" Himegami asked.

"Cause," Tsuchimikado started, "If Kami picks someone, that leaves the rest of the girls of the world low on self-confidence, making them perfect targets for me and Aogami."

"Maybe I'll tell Sissy you're saying that." Etrig said jokingly. "I'd love to see the Railgun's reaction."

"Trust me when I say that my ability to run away is unparalled by anyone outside the Delta Force." Tsuchimikado replied confidently.

"You know, the Delta Force needs two more members. That way, you can role-play as the Gin** Force." Etrig commented.

"Agreed." Himegami replied, nodding her head.

"Get away from her right now you pervert!" Mikoto's voice could be heard shouting.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Kamijo said, frantically waving his right hand in front of him. "Don't call me a pervert, it's not my fault." Kamijo, true to his word, had been trying to remove his arm the entire time in fear of being shocked.

"What is the problem? Is big sister jealous, Misaka pressures big sister onto a two-way road." Misaka 10032 had been holding on to Kamijo's arm the entire time.

Index, meanwhile, had been talking to Last Order about Magical Powered Kanamin the entire time, but had finally had enough. "Tomaaaaaaa!" Index said menacingly as she bared her fangs.

"No wait Index! This isn't my-" Kamijo was interrupted as Index leapt towards Kamijo's head with a crunch attack, her special ability powering up all teeth focused attacks by times 4.

"Darn my rotten luuuuuuuuck!"

* * *

"We're here!" Etrig announced to the crew, including Kamijo, who was still recovering from the crunch attack that left him with 0 HP left.

"A bowling alley?" Mikoto questioned. "I haven't been to one of these for a while."

"Since me, Himegami, Tsuchimikado and Kamijo are all level 0, no supernatural power usage will be allowed." Etrig declared.

"Wait, you're a level zero?" Kuroko asked.

"That's what that stupid test said." Etrig replied, pouting. "Anyways, let's head in." Etrig opened the door, with all nine of his companions following.

"I'll order the pizza and soda." Etrig said. "Since it's not quite dinner time yet, I won't get too many." Etrig told the group. "Let's see, nine people, plus Index, so that means, accounting for Index's appetite." Etrig muttered to himself. "Alright, 12 pizzas it is."

"What's with that insane number?!" Mikoto shouted.

"Trust me, we're lucky it's snack time. Otherwise, Index would eat them all, and still be hungry too." Kamijo remarked. "Not to mention Etrig's appetite." Kamijo said, to himself more than anyone.

"I'll go place our order, you all get bowling shoes." Etrig told the group.

* * *

After the food and drinks arrived, and everyone had their shoes, it was time to bowl.

"Alright you guys, it's time to bowl! Let's make this interesting and play in teams." Etrig spoke.

"Let's do boys vs girls!" Tsuchimikado shouted.

"I wish we could, but there's only four boys and six girls. Accelerator, have you ever bowled?" Etrig asked.

"Why ask me of all people?" Accelerator questioned.

"Answer me." Etrig pressured, getting into Accelerator's face.

"No."

"What?!" Etrig's face fell, then quickly rose again. "Then this'll be your first time, it'll be fun, yay!" Etrig cheered.

"Misaka Misaka has never bowled before, but Misaka Misaka can't wait to play, Misaka Misaka expresses her enthusiasm."

"I guess I will too, it's not like I have a choice." Accelerator spoke.

"I gurantee it'll be super fun, we'll make it a competition!" Etrig said. Now what will the teams be... Ah! I've got it! Team one will be Sissy, Kuroko, Misaka, Last Order and Himegami. Team two will be me, Tsuchimikado, Kamijo, Accelerator and Index." Etrig declared.

"Toma! Toma! I've never bowled before." Index said.

"Neither have I as long as I remember." Kamijo replied.

"Don't worry everyone, me and Sissy will show everyone how to bowl, right Sissy?" Etrig asked.

"Yep! There's no way I'll lose." Mikoto declared.

"Well, this will be a team competition, but to add some additional individual incentive, the highest scoring bowler will get these tickets for a dinner for two at a fancy restaurant tonight. And you can pick anyone here to take with you." Etrig said, pulling two gold tickets out of his picket.

'I can win a date with Toma!' Index and Himegami thought to themselves.

'This is the perfect chance for me to go out with- no, no! Forget about that, just win!' Mikoto thought to herself.

'A romantic dinner for two with Sissy! This will be the perfect chance for me to finally get her to recognize my love for her!' Kuroko thought upon hearing this announcement.

"Misaka shall win, and this Misaka will enjoy her date with the savior, Misaka declares."

"Misaka Misaka wants to win too, but Misaka Misaka doesn't know who to take with her, between the savior and Accelerator, Misaka Misaka explains her concerns to serial number 10032."

"You do not need to worry about that, as you will not be winning, Misaka informs serial number 20001."

"I'll go first." Etrig said. "So what you do is, you put your fingers in these holes, and then you roll the ball at those pins. The object is to knock down as many pins as possible. The best strategy is to aim for the center pin in order to cause a chain reaction." Etrig then rolled his ball at the pins, knocking them all down. "Would you look at that? I got pretty lucky, a strike."

"My turn." Mikoto said with gritty determination. "Here I go!" Mikoto threw the ball at lightning speed, knocking down all ten pins with a thundering boom. "Oh yeah! First strike down!"

"Index, you're up." Etrig said.

"Okay." Index grabbed one of the lightest balls. "I hold it like this right?"

"You got it." Etrig told her.

"Okay. Here I go!" Index rolled the ball with both hands, getting a pretty slow speed. She miraculously managed to get a strike, however. "Yay! Toma, Toma! Look I did it!" Index said, sticking her chest out in pride.

"Great job Index." Kamijo complimented, causing Index to smile happily.

"Who's going next for your team?" Etrig asked.

"I'll go." Himegami spoke, standing behind the line, holding a bowling ball in both hands. She rolled the ball, getting a strike.

"Nice work!" Mikoto cheered.

"A lot of strikes so far, eh Etrig?" Tsuchimikado asked.

"Yeah. Accelerator, you're up next." Etrig spoke.

"Whatever." Accelerator said, grabbing his ball and walking up behind the line. Accelerator also got a strike, smirking as he walked back.

"Are you sure this is your first time?" Tsuchimikado asked.

"Yeah, so?"

"That was a great roll!" Etrig said happily.

"Whatever, who's up next?"

"It's Misaka Misaka's turn, Misaka Misaka exclaims in excitement as she attempts to carry the heavy ball to the line she's supposed to stand behind." Surprisingly enough, despite barely being able to lift the ball, Last Order also got a strike. In the first frame, everyone- even Kamijo- got a strike. However, as the game continued, the guys got mainly spares, with Kamijo getting a few gutter balls, while the girls continued to bowl strikes every frame, using, as Tsuchimikado would later coin it, "The will of a maiden in love" (and whatever got Last Order nine strikes in a row).

"Aw man," Etrig said sadly, "It's the last frame and our team's way behind." Etrig grabbed his ball and took his turn, getting three strikes. "Well it's too late now!" Etrig shouted to no one in particular, crying crocodile tears.

'Good our team's winning.' Mikoto thought to herself. 'As far as the individual contest goes, at this rate it'll be a tie.' 'No!' Mikoto thought with renewed determination. 'I _will_ win and then I'll be able to go out with that idi- I mean, I can finally get Kamijo to fight me seriously.'

"Here I go!" Mikoto shouted as she rolled another strike. She got two more strikes for a perfect game.

"No way! You just bowled a perfect game Sissy, that's amazing!" Etrig shouted out in shock.

'I won't lose.' Index thought to herself, grabbing her bowling ball and walking up to the line. 'The romantic setting of a fancy dinner will be the perfect chance for me to make sure Toma's mine. Plus, I get to eat tons of great food!' Index rolled two strikes in a row.

"Whoa!" Kamijo said in surprise.

"Are we really about to see two perfect games in one match?" Etrig questioned. Unfortunately for Index, fate intervened. As Index rolled the ball, her stomach growled, throwing off her center of gravity, causing her to only hit six pins.

"Aw!" Index pouted while Mikoto sighed in relief.

Next was Himegami, who was able to get two strikes in a row, but then only hit seven pins.

"It's my turn." Accelerator declared calmly. He was ticked that he was losing but he couldn't do anything about it now. 'As much as I hate to admit it, this actually is fun.' "Hey kid!" Accelerator shouted, referring to Etrig. "What's it called when you get three strikes in a row again?"

"It's called a Turkey, and as we already explained Index, you _do not. Win. A turkey_!" Etrig shouted, not wanting to deal with Index demanding a turkey after rolling three strikes in a row again.

Accelerator just sighed before proceeding to bowl three strikes in a row for a Turkey. Next was Last Order.

"Misaka Misaka wishes to win the individual competition, but is happy that her team is winning, Misaka Misaka expresses herself. Here I go, Misaka Misaka declares as Misaka Misaka rolls the heavy ball." Last Order also got two strikes, but was then only able to get six pins on her last roll.

'Yes!' Mikoto pumped a fist. 'At this rate, I'll be the winner!'

Tsuchimikado took his turn, rolling a spare.

Misaka 10032 took her ball and turned to Mikoto. "Misaka will not allow big sister to win, Misaka declares. Although, it is not as though Misaka has anything to worry about, big sister cannot be honest about her feelings, Misaka reasons to herself. Regardless, Misaka will win and develop affection with the savior, Misaka tells big sister before walking to the line with her ball." Misaka rolled two strikes in a row, and the air was tense for the Misaka sisters as she prepared to roll the ball for a last time.

10032 rolled the ball and it headed straight for the center pin. The center pin toppled, knocking down all but one pin, which spun on its base. The girls all held their breath, while Accelerator wasn't paying attention, and Etrig, Kamijo and Tsuchimikado didn't care, as their team had already lost.

The pin started slowing down and finished spinning... standing up.

"Misaka sighs as defeat is official for her, Misaka says depressingly, hoping for sympathy from big sister."

"Guess it's my turn." Kamijo said, grabbing his ball. Kamijo rolled two gutter balls in a row, prompting Accelerator and Mikoto to laugh at him while Etrig and Index patted him on the back trying to cheer him up as he muttered 'rotten luck'.

"I'm the last one up." Kuroko declared, walking to the line. 'Now that my Sissy's won, maybe I don't need to win. Wait! If we tie, then clearly the tickets will go to the two winners. Of course, I know that Sissy would pick me, but this is to make sure.' With renewed determination, Kuroko rolled her bowling ball for a strike. And another. She rolled for the last time today and got... eight pins.

'Yes!' Mikoto pumped a fist, 'Although, if I pick that idiot instead of Kuroko, that might not go over well.'

"That was fun!" Etrig cheered happily. "Alright Sissy, you get to pick someone to have dinner for two with."

"Alright, I'm leaving." Accelerator declared walking towards the door.

"But why, Misaka Misaka asks, not wanting to leave."

"Cause she obviously isn't picking me. And if she chooses you, I get a break from your incessant noise, little brat."

"Come on! At least stay until Sissy picks someone." Etrig pleaded with puppy dog eyes.

'Why do I get all the puppy dog eyes?' Accelerator lamented to himself. "Fine kid. I'll stay."

"Alright!"

"Yay, Misaka Misaka says happily in celebration."

"So, who are you going to pick Short Hair?" Index questioned.

Mikoto sighed. "My name's not Short Hair, It's Mikoto Misaka." Kamijo quickly slid in front of Index, having heard this line many times before, although Short Hair was usually replaced with Zapper.

"Hmm... I'll take... this idiot!" Mikoto said quickly, pointing at Kamijo.

"Huh? Me?" Kamijo asked, confused, pointing to himself.

"D-don't get the wrong idea. It's just because I took pity on you and your constant whining about having no money in your 'poor wallet'." Mikoto replied, looking away with a slight blush.

"Okay!" Etrig clapped his hands together. "Now that Sissy's chosen, let's get ready to leave."

"You okay Kuroko?" Mikoto asked.

"I'm fine. That is quite a dignified thing for the ace of Tokiwadai to do, treating a plebian like him, who most likely will never get another meal like this in his life."

"Come on Kuroko, it's a little rude to call him a plebian."

"Alright, I'm leaving now." Accelerator said, heading towards the door.

"Wait!" Etrig called after him.

"What is it now kid?" Accelerator asked.

"While Last Order is saying goodbye to Sissy and Index, let's exchange phone numbers. We still haven't done that."

"Whatever." Accelerator said, complying to Etrig's request.

"Misaka will be leaving now, Misaka informs the savior. Misaka is looking forward to seeing you again, however, Misaka finishes."

"Wait!" Kamijo said, causing Misaka to turn back around towards him. "Do you have a cell phone?"

"Misaka does have a cellular communications device, Misaka gives the affirmative answer, hoping she has correctly guessed the implications of such a question."

"Want to trade numbers?" Kamijo asked.

"Yes, Misaka responds, attempting to suppress her elation at the savior's request."

"I'll be leaving now Sissy, I'll see you back at the dorm." Kuroko told Mikoto.

"Okay." Mikoto responded as Kuroko teleported out of the bowling alley. She was not, however, the first person to leave.

"Misaka Misaka is now ready to leave, Misaka Misaka reports to Accelerator."

"Then we're leaving. Hey kid." Accelerator spoke to Etrig.

"Yes?"

Accelerator smirked. "That was kind of fun. Call me again and I'll crush the third-rate."

Etrig's eyes widened and he smiled brightly. "Sure! I had fun too!"

"Bye, Misaka Misaka calls, waving happily as Accelerator drags her back home." Misaka 10032 left along with Accelerator and Last Order.

"Toma! You're not going to leave me alone to go with that Short Hair are you?!" Index questioned.

"Don't worry Kami." Tsuchimikado spoke. "Me and Etrig will walk home Index."

"Shh! I don't want Etrig or Misaka knowing that Index lives with me." Kamijo whispered in Tsuchimikado's ear.

"Kami, do you really think you can hide the fact that Etrig knows about magic from me?"

Kamijo was briefly taken aback from Tsuchimikado's words but recovered quickly. "Of course not, just make sure Index gets home safely." He responded loud enough for Etrig to hear.

"Don't worry Kamijo, we will." Etrig replied before taking Index's hand and walking out with her and Tsuchimikado.

"So... I guess we should go now." Kamijo said to Mikoto, as they were the last ones left.

"Yeah... heh, heh." Mikoto chuckled nervously.

* * *

"So Etrig." Tsuchimikado said. He and Etrig were walking a distance behind Index where they could watch her but she couldn't hear them.

"What is it Motoharu?"

"I overheard Kami say he's never bowled before, but the Delta Force used to go bowling all the time."

"Maybe he just forgot?" Etrig offered.

"I doubt that, things got pretty crazy. Tell me the truth, what happened to Kami?" Tsuchimikado demanded, all joking removed from his voice.

"Why should I?" Etrig asked.

Tsuchimikado made his hand into the same position as a martial arts chop and pushed it into Etrig's neck discreetly. "You should have said 'How would I know?'"

"Fine, I'll tell you." Tsuchimikado removed his hand from Etrig's neck. "It's not really my place to tell you, however... sadly, you are Kamijo's best friend and you should know."

"What do you mean 'sadly'?" Tsuchimikado joked.

"You have to promise not to tell this to anyone, not Aleister, not the Church of Necessarius, not anyone. I know you're a liar, but if you lie about this, I could kill you."

"You know about Aleister?"

"That's beside the point. Do you swear, by your stepsister Maika, to not tell anyone what you're about to hear?"

"By my sister?"

"By your sister."

"You better not be threatening her."

"I'm not. This is just to show you how important this is."

"I understand, and I give you my word. If it's for Kami's sake I won't tell anyone."

"You really do care for him huh? Maybe you're not so bad a best friend after all. I won't tell you anymore, so don't ask, but on the 23rd of July, or was it the 24th? I forget, but around there, Kamijo lost all his memories."

Tsuchimikado's face paled. "Kami... lost his memories?"

* * *

 **Kamijo: A magical artifact has been stolen, and the culprits are not just magicians but espers too.**

 **Kamijo: Stiyl's in town, and he's got a mission.**

 **Kamijo: Etrig and Tsuchimikado discuss odds of survival, and Himegami blossoms.**

 **Kamijo: Next time: "Hellbringer (multi-faceted group)"**


	8. Episode8:Hellbringer(Multi-faceted group

Kamijo and Mikoto sat across from each other in a booth at a very exquisite five-star restaurant.

"Thanks for taking poor old me out to eat." Kamijo said, attempting to hide the sarcasm in his voice.

"Y-yeah, it's no big deal." Mikoto responded with a slight blush on her face.

"Hello there." A college aged waitress greeted them. "And how will you be paying today?"

Mikoto responded. "Well, you see... we got these tickets from our friend." Mikoto took out the tickets.

The waitress stared at the tickets for a few seconds, inspecting them. "That's a nice friend you have there, these are really expensive. Hate to be invasive, but are you on a date?"

Mikoto's face exploded in red, and she started stuttering, prompting Kamijo to answer for her. "No, why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason. So what do you want for drinks?"

"I'll-I'll take a lemonade."

"Me too." Kamijo told the waitress.

"Alright then, here are your menus, I will be back shortly with your drinks." The waitress left, leaving Kamijo and Mikoto to stare at their menus.

"So what are you going to have?" Mikoto asked.

"Well, since Etrig already payed for these meals, I won't let that money go to waste." Kamijo said, patting his belly. "Index keeps eating my food, so I'm starving like I've never eaten." Kamijo muttered to himself.

"Did you say something?" Mikoto asked inquisitively.

"No, no. Hmm... to start with, I'm thinking the sirloin steak with pepper fries and onion rings."

"To start with?" Mikoto asked doubtfully.

"I'm hungry. What are you having miss 'Queen of Tokiwadai'?"

"I haven't decided yet." The waitress came and dropped off their drinks. Kamijo sipped his _very_ carefully to prevent it spilling on him.

"So... now that we're alone... I want you to answer a few questions." Mikoto demanded.

"Like what?" Kamijo asked in between sips of his lemonade.

"To start with, who's that nun that follows you around?"

"Secret." Kamijo replied simply before returning to sipping his lemonade.

"Alright then, second question; why are you drinking that lemonade so carefully?"

"Because if I don't, my rotten luck will kick in and cause me to spill this on my pants, and that would be embarrassing in this situation." Kamijo explained.

"Why don't you tell me how you can block all my attacks despite saying that you're a level 0?"

"Hey waitress! Sorry for my rudeness, but we're ready to order." Kamijo flagged down their previous waitress.

"So what would you like tonight?" She asked as she came over to them.

"I'll take the sirloin steak with pepper French fries and onion rings. What do you want Misaka?"

"I'll take the Caesar salad and the buttermilk pancakes."

"Very good, anything else?"

"No, we're good." Kamijo told the waitress. The waitress left and Mikoto stared at Kamijo.

"Why are you dodging my questions, idiot?"

"Are we back to that already?"

"You even dodged that question." Mikoto uncharacteristically pouted. Kamijo chuckled. "What's so funny?" Mikoto asked.

"You look kinda cute, pouting like that."

"W-what was t-that?!" Mikoto questioned in a shout, sparks flying from her body, her face red from anger(embarrassment).

"Whoa calm down, Zapper!"

"Don't call me that." Mikoto said calmly, not wanting to embarrass herself more.

"Jeez, I guess someone doesn't like being called cute, I'll be sure not to call you that again." Kamijo said.

"It's not that. It's just, just..." The rest was unheard by Kamijo.

"Just what?"

"It's embarrassing, you can't just call a girl cute like that out of nowhere."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Kamijo asked, confused.

"N-nothing. Anyways, back to my questions." Mikoto replied.

* * *

Tsuchimikado stared at Etrig, his face in a rare expression of shock.

"Kami... lost his memories?"

"Yep." Etrig replied simply, not even looking at Tsuchimikado, his eyes instead watching Index.

"How... do you know this?" Tsuchimikado asked.

"How? I heard Kamijo explain it all to Index." Etrig said.

Tsuchimikado wanted to bust out one of his signature smirks, but it wouldn't appear on his face. "Well... that explains a lot. And judging from the date you told me, it was at the time of the destruction of the Tree Diagram supercomputer aboard the Orihime-1 satellite. Is there any way to restore his memory?"

"Supposedly, no. From what I know, his brain cells holding his memories were completely destroyed by Dragon's Breath."

"I see." Tsuchimikado replied, a slight tone of disappointment in his voice.

"However, I wouldn't give up. I have every intention of helping Kamijo get his memory back."

"So Index knows about this too?"

"Yeah... so you promise not to tell anyone about this, right?" Etrig asked.

"That's what I said. But _I am_ a liar." Tsuchimikado replied, his smirk back on his face.. Etrig disappeared for a split second, and reappeared in front of Tsuchimikado. Tsuchimikado looked down to see Etrig's hand pressed against his neck in the form of a pink blade.

"That was pretty quick, I sure hope you're not _threatening_ me." Tsuchimikado said jokingly, his smirk still on his face.

"This is an important secret. The only reason you're allowed to know is because you're Kamijo's best friend." Etrig replied, putting his hand down and returning it to normal as the two continued to walk behind Index.

"Calm down. I'm keeping this a secret. It'll give me something to hold over Aleister."

"One more thing, don't tell Kamijo I told you about this, I'd be in so much trouble." Etrig said worriedly.

Tsuchimikado smirked once again. "And what'll you do for me?" Tsuchimikado asked.

"I can make life easier on you the next time there's magicians in town, how about that?" Etrig offered.

"But you can't fight magicians, you're an esper."

"Just like Kamijo, I'm listed as a level zero with no abilities to speak of." Etrig replied. "Although, that's clearly not accurate." Etrig muttered to himself.

"Heh. Well, it's our lucky day. Meet me tomorrow morning... early."

Etrig nodded. "Sure."

"Hey guys! We're here!" Index announced as the group of three stopped in front of the apartment.

"You can leave now, I'll escort Index to Kami's dorm." Tsuchimikado told Etrig. Etrig nodded before putting two fingers to his forehead and disappearing.

* * *

Accelerator and Last Order walked side-by-side on the road home. Ordinarily, Last Order ran ahead while Accelerator struggled to keep up with his cane, but due to recent... developments, he was now able to keep up with relative ease.

"Hey brat, what do you think of the kid?" Accelerator questioned.

"Who, Misaka Misaka asks, puzzled by Accelerator's vague terms."

"The kid with the rainbow eyes."

"Oh! Misaka Misaka exclaims in realization. Misaka likes that boy, he's nice and funny, and he said he fixed Accelerator's ability and Accelerator didn't deny it, Misaka Misaka answers Accelerator's unusual question."

"That's exactly it. How _did_ he fix my ability? Hey, do you and the SISTERS network have information on all discovered esper abilities?" Accelerator asked.

"The Misaka network does indeed have a database of almost all the known esper abilities, Misaka Misaka responds."

"Is there really an ability that allows its user to perform any action that's part of a game? It seems ridiculous to me."

"There's no ability anything like that anywhere in the entire Academy City power database, Misaka Misaka says, confused at the question."

"That kid said that that was his ability."

"It is possible that it's an undiscovered ability, although one with that function is highly unlikely, Misaka Misaka reports."

"Hmm... that kid is a mystery." Accelerator spoke quietly. 'And a dangerous one at that, considering he knew about Last Order.' Accelerator mentally finished.

* * *

"So... now that our food's arrived are you going to answer my questions?" Mikoto asked before taking a bite of her pancake.

"Depends on the question." Kamijo answered before taking a bite of one of his fries.

"Why do you insist that you're a level zero? You clearly have an ability, seeing as you can block my attacks without getting a scratch." Mikoto launched her first question.

"I really am a level zero." Kamijo answered plainly, before taking a bite of his steak.

"Stop lying." Mikoto demanded.

"Not lying."

"Then explain how you can stop all my attacks."

"I wear rubber gloves." Kamijo said bluntly.

"Now I _know_ you're lying, when we fought before, you negated my electricity, but when I grabbed your hand it didn't feel like rubber at all."

'We fought before?' Kamijo questioned himself. 'Now that I think about it, she has mentioned this before, I suppose it happened before the memory loss.' "You caught me." Kamijo said unexcitingly.

"Stop messing around. You're not going to be able to weasel out of all my questions for the entire dinner." Mikoto told Kamijo. "Fine then, why does that Silver Sister nun follow you around? Does she live with you or something?"

Kamijo nearly choked on his lemonade. After swallowing he started; "What? No, that's-" Before Kamijo could finish however, he spotted a plate of spaghetti headed for the back of Mikoto's head.

"Sorry!" A young boy's voice rang through the air. Kamijo acted quickly, getting up and rushing behind Mikoto, therefore taking the blow for her. Somehow, the plate did not shatter, however the impact nearly knocked Kamijo unconscious, left him with a bloody nose, and covered his face and shirt in spaghetti.

"Kamijo!" Mikoto shouted, witnessing the events taking place, quickly getting out of her chair to try and help him up. "Are you okay?" Mikoto asked, helping Kamijo up.

"Ugh... I'm fine Misaka." Kamijo replied.

"It doesn't seem that way idiot."

"Hey, look at the bright side, at least you didn't get spaghetti all over your hair." Kamijo spoke, grabbing a napkin and wiping his face. "That would've been a shame, your hair looks nice today."

Mikoto blushed. "You idiot... that's not a reason to nearly get yourself sent to the hospital."

"Heh. No need to worry, Zapper. I'll protect you... always."

Mikoto's entire face impossibly burned pink. 'It's like he said that time with the fake Unabara. But there's no way he meant it like that... that jerk.'

* * *

After getting injured to protect Mikoto, Kamijo had gotten a free pass from questions for the rest of the meal, and Mikoto was now walking him home.

"Um... Kamijo, do you... do you remember when that fake Unabara showed up?" Mikoto asked as the two walked home.

"Yeah." Kamijo said after a pause. "Why do you ask?"

"W-well... you see... I kind of wanted to know, I-I overheard what... what y-you said... I mean, that p-p-promise you m-m-made." Mikoto spoke nervously, her face glowing red, Mikoto looking down to avoid Kamijo seeing her red face.

"Huh?" Kamijo gasped in realization. "Oh, that. You heard that? That's kind of embarrassing."

'Embarrassing? Does that mean...?' Mikoto wondered.

"Tell me."

"Uh-huh." Mikoto nodded, now looking at Kamijo.

"Was it really that cheesy?" Kamijo asked.

"Wha?" Mikoto spoke, totally dumbfounded.

"I mean, the fake Unabara told me that it was the worst possible answer, but was it really that cheesy?" Kamijo questioned.

"You..." Mikoto said dangerously under her breath. "YOU IDIOT!" Mikoto's voice could be heard screaming as a lighting storm appeared over the district Mikoto and Kamijo were currently in.

"Darn my rotten luuuuuck!"

* * *

Himegami stood on the top of a building, watching the moon.

"What are you doing here?" Etrig questioned from behind her.

"How did you get here?" Himegami asked, turning around.

"I used my ability. How did _you_ get up here?"

"That's a secret." Meanwhile, down below, crowds of people gathered to watch an amazing spectacle. A totem pole of cats, all standing on their hind legs, were holding each other up against the side of a building, the top one holding a ladder.

"Regardless," Himegami diverted the conversation. "You stand out." Himegami told Etrig.

"Huh?"

"Toma is constantly surrounded by noticeable characters, like you. I appreciate your advice, but by the time I can become a nurse, it may be too late."

"Well... then what do you want to do?" Etrig asked.

"If... if I can protect him... then maybe... that'll be enough."

"That's nice. You may be the first person I've met who's actually talked about protecting Kamijo. The poor guy." Etrig said. "Well guess what? I think I can help." Etrig told Himegami.

"How?" Himegami asked.

"I'll use my ability to power you up. Now just give me a second to come up with an idea. Hmm... I've got it!"

"Got what?" Himegami asked.

"How I'm going to power you up. Is that okay?"

"Will I be able to stand out?"

"Definitely." Etrig replied.

"Okay then."

"Just one second." Etrig held his hand over Himegami's head. Himegami was briefly surrounded by white light, but it quickly disappeared. "There we go, your power's been unlocked." Etrig told Himegami.

"What does that mean?" Himegami asked.

"You should be able to fight now. It's like a extension of your original ability, but... different. I'm not really sure how to describe it."

"I don't feel any different." Himegami told Etrig.

"Hmm... I've got an idea. Visualize it. Visualize you using your new ability to slice through a battlefield and save Kamijo." Etrig instructed.

Himegami closed her eyes.

"Can you see it?" Etrig asked. Himegami opened her eyes and nodded her head. "Good. Now come up with a cool and dramatic name that suits what you saw. That should help you release your power."

Himegami nodded again. "Hmm... perfect. Crimson Rose Blade!" Around Himegami, three red blades of light in the shape of rose petals appeared in the air, one above her, one to her right and one to the left.

"Whoa, cool!" Etrig exclaimed. He reached a hand to touch one of the blades. "Ow!" Etrig pulled his hand back. It was bleeding slightly.

"Are you okay?" Himegami asked worriedly as the blades around her disappeared.

"Yeah, I'm fine. That's cool, there's absolutely no way you can stay a background character now!" Etrig exclaimed.

Himegami nodded. "Thank you."

"I wonder if I can do that?" Etrig pondered. Etrig closed his eyes. "Crimson Rose Blade!" Nothing happened. "Well, I guess that's something unique to you Himegami." Etrig said.

"Now I can re-enter the running." Himegami declared.

"Just remember one thing. Make sure your newfound powers aren't used to kill." Etrig warned Himegami.

"Yes." Himegami spoke sincerely, nodding her head.

"Well, I've got to go, see you later, maybe tomorrow." Etrig said before disappearing.

* * *

It was the next morning, and in an abandoned warehouse, Etrig and Tsuchimikado were sitting.

"So why did you call me here this early in the morning? Not that I mind, really." Etrig questioned.

"You said if I didn't tell Kami that you spilled the beans, you'd help me out the next time there was a magic threat in town. Well guess what? The next time, is now." Tsuchimikado told Etrig.

"Oh really? What is it? I'm not going to die am I?" Etrig asked.

"That's up to you. The Bogen des Fegefeuers, or 'Bow of Purgatory' has been stolen. It's a very dangerous magical artifact of the German Jewish Synagogue."

"Who stole it?" Etrig inquired.

"Hellbringer."

"Who's that?"

"Hellbringer is a group of Espers who want to take down the corrupt system of government in Academy City, and have joined with magicians who believe the war between magic and science have ruined the world." Tsuchimikado explained.

"So why did they steal this bow? What does it do?" Etrig asked.

"To put it simply, the Bow of Purgatory has the power to kill anyone who's sinned with one arrow. Why they stole it is most likely just for power."

"Hmm... then there's not much we can do against this." Etrig replied.

"Exactly. Kami may be the only one who can survive this, due to the Imagine Breaker. It's imperative we take back the Bogen des Fegefeuers, and put it back in its right place."

"What should I do?" Etrig asked.

"Well you see... using a magic spell, Hellbringer have made replicas of the bow. They're not nearly as dangerous, most certainly won't kill anyone, but we don't have a means of telling which is the real one. We need you to serve as a distraction and draw out their members."

Etrig pouted. "So basically, I'm your scapegoat?"

"Yep."

"Aw man. So tell me, what are the chances of someone like Kamijo surviving a shot from the real bow?"

"That depends. The definition of 'sin' used for the principals of the bow have never been clear. Since Kami lost his memories, he may count as a new person. I'd say, depending on what definition of sin is in use, Kami might survive." Tsuchimikado said.

"What about me?" Etrig asked, pointing to himself.

"I don't know. I could use a magic spell to check."

"Nah, it's fine. You don't need to hurt yourself for it."

"It's important to know for tactical reasons who can and can't survive a shot from the Bogen des Fegefeuers." Tsuchimikado explained. "I'm sure I'd survive." Tsuchimikado smirked. "Time to set up the spell." Tsuchimikado stood up and threw three figures in a triangle around him and Etrig. One figure was an angel with white wings, another with black wings and lastly, the final figure was an eye.

Etrig looked at Tsuchimikado questioningly.

"An angel, an archangel and the eye of Horus, or in this case, an eye of an goddess." Tsuchimikado explained. "Now then, let the show begin!" Tsuchimikado declared grandiosely.

"The angel that embodies justice and the archangel that embodies sin, let the goddess' eye see through their souls and reveal whether the flames of purgatory must purge!" The three figures all started glowing in a blue light.

"Aah!" Etrig covered his eyes with his sleeve.

Tsuchimikado's eyes widened as he observed the results. 'Heh. Interesting.' Tsuchimikado thought. The light dimmed down and Etrig uncovered his eyes.

"So, what did you find out?" Etrig asked.

"Kid," Tsuchimikado said smirking. "Seems like you'll be just fine."

"Huh?"

Tsuchimikado coughed up blood.

"Are you okay?!"

* * *

"I can't believe I'm back here again." A man with red hair, standing over 6 feet tall, and holding a cigarette in his mouth, grumbled as he walked through the back alleys of Academy City.

The man sighed as he took the cigarette out of his mouth. "Well I'm here on a mission, so I better hurry up. The transfer of the Bogen Des Fegefeurs is happening today, so I need to wrap this up quickly."

* * *

"Toma! Toma!" Index shouted from outside the bathroom door. _Why_ was she shouting at a bathroom door, you ask? In reality, she's actually shouting at Toma Kamijo, who currently sleeps within said bathroom.

"Ugh. Why'd you wake me up so early Index, it's a weekend!" Kamijo opened the door.

"But this is important!"

"I know you're hungry, but you could've waited for me to wake up." Kamijo replied.

"That's not it. I sense magical energy in use." Index told Kamijo.

"Magic huh?"

"Yeah." Index nodded her head.

"I don't see how this should affect me, I'm going to bed." Kamijo turned towards the bathroom.

"Fine! But I'm going out to investigate." Index promptly ran out the door.

"Index wait, that's not fair! Ugh, rotten luck." Kamijo sighed. Now he had to go follow Index.

* * *

 **Kamijo: Hellbringer's attack has commenced, and Index is sucked into it**

 **Kamijo: Etrig and Himegami also join the fight and I'm recruited to join Hellbringer**

 **Kamijo: Next time: Kamijo vs Hellbringer(Clash of ideals)**


	9. 9:Kamijo vs Hellbringer(Clash of ideals)

**Me: Time to respond to some reviews**

 **Xeno01: Well naturally Kamijo is the main character, but the other characters are sure to get plenty of screen time as well as some time in the spotlight**

* * *

Kamijo found Index on the roof. He looked to the right of Index and saw an arrow flying towards her.

"Index watch out!" He shouted as he ran towards Index and punched the arrow with his right hand.

"Toma!" Index cried as a shrieking sound that gave the image of shattering glass filled the air while the arrow was destroyed.

"Index! That arrow was magic, can you sense where it came from?"

"No I can't. It must have been a magic bow that shot the arrow, otherwise I'd be able to detect the launch of the spell." Index explained.

"Shoot! Dang it, where's the next shot coming from?" Suddenly, an arrow came flying at Kamijo from the back. 'Too slow!' Kamijo turned around and caught the arrow with his right hand.

The shrieking sound was heard again as the arrow was destroyed. Another arrow was shot towards Index.

"Index!"

"T, Y, T, G" Index spoke a few letters using spell intercept and the arrow changed direction and flew into the ground.

"Index, have you figured out which direction the arrows are coming from?" Kamijo asked.

"Yes. They're coming from every direction!"

"What?!" Just then, an arrow came at the two of them from every direction.

"Index get low!" Kamijo shouted. Index ducked and Kamijo leaned over her, covering her as the arrows seemed to change direction and all head towards his back.

"PK Thunder!" A voice cried. Kamijo looked up to see a ball of lightning attached to a lightning bolt hit all of the arrows, destroying them.

"Hey! You okay?" Etrig asked, jumping in front of Kamijo from the next roof over. "Man I've always wanted to say that without sounding like a geek."

"Etrig? What are you doing here?" Kamijo questioned.

"Ask Tsuchimikado, it's his fault. Now then; Hey! All you cowards hiding! Come out and face me!"

On the roofs of surrounding buildings, four men in white robes appeared out of thin air. One of them, in front of Etrig, Kamijo and Index, chuckled. "What's this? An esper? You do know that if you fight us it'll ruin the 'precious' balance between magic and science and start a war right?" The man asked.

"Yeah, and none of us want that, so why don't you just take responsibility and leave?" Etrig replied.

"Sorry, but for our plan to be successful, we need the death of Index Librorum Prohibitorum and the Imagine Breaker." The man responded.

Etrig shook his head. "What a shame. And here I thought I could agree with you peoples' ideals. BUT! If you're willing to take lives in order to fulfill your ideals, then clearly you're just as corrupt as what you're trying to stop. That's right! I know just who you are Hellbringer!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You're getting too worked up there buddy." Tsuchimikado spoke, walking out the door to the roof. "But it _is_ true. This corrupt world will only become a world of death if such important assets are eliminated."

"Are any of those the real bow?" Etrig asked.

"Nope, we're all good." Tsuchimikado replied smirking.

"Die!" One of the men shouted, firing an arrow at Etrig.

Etrig sighed. In front of him a cylinder appeared and the arrow flew into it. Another cylinder appeared behind the man who shot the arrow's back. The arrow flew out of that cylinder and hit the man in the back, knocking him out.

"That was easy. And here I thought magicians were these big, bad, scary, overpowered figures." Etrig said, shrugging his shoulders.

"What did you do?" Kamijo asked.

"I may be listed as a level zero, but I've got an ability. He fell into my trap. So, who's next?" Etrig asked the three remaining robed men.

"That trick won't work on all three of our arrows at once! Men, fire!" The man who appeared to be the leader of the four shouted. The three remaining men all shot an arrow each at Etrig.

"Shoot." Etrig muttered his breath. The arrows all hit Etrig at once, stopping when they hit his skin, then bouncing back towards their respective archers as beams of light, knocking them all out.

"Phew." Etrig breathed a sigh of relief. "I didn't expect that, that was close. Still, I was hoping for some close combat. It's way easier not to kill them that way."

"You were keeping that in mind the entire time?" Kamijo asked.

"Of course. I couldn't live with myself if I killed anyone." Etrig replied.

"You better not get soft on me." Tsuchimikado told Etrig.

"Yeah, yeah. _You_ better make sure they get taken to a hospital." Etrig demanded.

"They'll get the proper medical care. We're taking them for interrogation." Tsuchimikado explained.

"What's going on Tsuchimikado?" Kamijo asked.

"To put it simply, the Bow of Purgatory has been stolen, we need to get it back, and if an arrow shot by it hits someone, they die. You get the story Kami?" Tsuchimikado asked.

Kamijo nodded. "Yeah."

"Hey!" Index interrupted. "You better not leave me behind and go running off your own again." Index told Kamijo.

"Index this is too dangerous. You should-"

"Let her come. It'll be more dangerous for us to not be watching her." Tsuchimikado told Kamijo.

"Fine." Kamijo reluctantly relented. At that moment, an arrow came flying at Kamijo's back.

"Toma!" Index, who only noticed it at the last second shouted out.

"Ah!" Kamijo turned around, too slowly however, and the arrow was about to hit his face when a red blade of light pierced the arrow, disintegrating it.

"Are you okay?" Himegami asked from behind Kamijo, her newly acquired Rose Blades circling around her head.

"Yeah, thanks a lot Himegami." Kamijo replied.

"Where did you come from?! And you better not say you've been there the whole time!" Etrig shouted.

Himegami shook her head. "No, I just got here. These new blades can also be used for transportation." To demonstrate her point, Himegami moved one of the blades underneath her feet and jumped on it. "We should focus on capturing the man who shot the arrow, and is now currently running away." Himegami spoke, getting off her blade.

Before anyone could answer, the sky turned red for a few seconds and cries of pain could be heard. A few seconds later, Stiyl jumped onto the roof. "No need to worry. He's been apprehended, and so have the others." Stiyl spoke.

"Stiyl? What are you doing here? And when did you get an ability Himegami?" Kamijo asked.

Stiyl answered first. "It's simple, really. I've been called here on a mission to recover the Bogen des Fegefeurs, or the Bow of Purgatory." Stiyl lit a cigarette in his mouth.

"And I received this upgrade last night." Himegami spoke.

"Aisa, was that magic?" Index asked.

"No, it was part of my esper ability." Himegami explained. "Or was it magic?" Himegami pondered, confused.

Index was about to congratulate Himegami when Stiyl interrupted. "Let's go. We've gotta head to the location of Hellbringer's base in Academy City before the bow is moved somewhere we don't know." Stiyl told the group.

"You know, Hellbringer is a terrible name for a group with their purpose, don't you think?" Etrig questioned.

"You don't know." Tsuchimikado answered. "It might mean they'll bring hell to corruption." Tsuchimikado countered.

"Now is not the time to discuss naming logic." Stiyl interrupted.

"Let's go." Kamijo spoke. "I won't let them hurt anyone."

"Alright. I know where their base is, so follow me." Stiyl instructed.

"I'm coming too." Himegami said.

"Is that alright?" Stiyl questioned.

"Etrig?" Tsuchimikado asked.

"It should be. Her ability is kind of a combination between magic and science, not actually her esper ability. It's really hard to explain. I don't really get it to be honest with you." Etrig told them.

"Fine. It's not something I have to deal with either way." Stiyl spoke. "You can come, just don't get in the way." Stiyl told Himegami.

* * *

Kamijo and the group were walking through a back alley towards their destination. Stiyl, leading the way, stopped suddenly, causing the rest of the group to stop as well.

Stiyl took the cigarette out of his mouth and threw it as it burned to ashes, then scattered rune cards across the alley.

"Why are you putting the rune cards for Innocentius here? It's way too narrow." Kamijo questioned Stiyl.

"And that is precisely why it'll be impossible for our would-be ambushers up ahead to escape from Innocentius. Besides, Innocentius' body is made of flames so it'll fit." Stiyl replied.

"No, it'll set the buildings next to us on fire!" Kamijo complained.

"Calm down Kamijo." Etrig told him. "I've used my ability to temporarily make these building fire-proof." Etrig informed Kamijo.

The group continued walking until they were near the end of the alley. Then, they were blocked by several dozen thuggish looking men and women.

"Sorry, but we won't be letting you through here." One of the men spoke.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice. Come, Innocentius!" Stiyl summoned Innocentius, its massive form roaring at its enemies.

"Hah!" One of the thugs screamed out. "We know Innocentius' weakness. All we have to do is take out the rune cards."

" _However_ ," Stiyl countered. "You won't be getting the time to do that. Go, Innocentius!" With that command, Innocentius engaged the thugs, the heat rendering them unconscious in mere moments. "Well..." Stiyl started, putting another cigarette in his mouth. "That takes care of that."

A loud rustling sound could be heard behind the group and then they all felt intense wind.

"What?!" Stiyl exclaimed, turning around to see all his rune cards destroyed and Innocentius' body having two gaping holes in it.

"Who did that?" Kamijo questioned as Innocentius' form completely disappeared.

"That would be me." A women wearing a brown tank top that was cut just above the belly button and red shorts spoke from behind the group. She had pink, neck-long hair and blue eyes. "I'm afraid I won't be as easy to handle as those wimps."

"Kami!" Tsuchimikado called out. "Me and Himegami will stay and take care of her. You and the rest of the group go ahead."

"Okay." Kamijo nodded his head and took off along with Stiyl, Index and Etrig.

"Now then." The woman spoke. "The name's Luthia or Liberatio348. Now that I've spoken my magic name, let's see how you fare against me." A powerful wind blew from behind Luthia, nearly knocking Himegami off her feet.

Tsuchimikado smirked. "Fallere825."

* * *

Kamijo and the remainder of the group walked into an abandoned construction site.

"This is their base?" Kamijo questioned.

"Yes. Be careful." Stiyl told Kamijo as the group continued walking.

"This is boring." Etrig complained. Naturally, as he said that a barrage of arrows from all directions were fired at the group.

"You just had to talk!" Stiyl shouted.

"Sorry about that!" Etrig created a green spherical barrier around the group that all of the arrows bounced off.

From on top of beams and other such hiding places, around 100 thugs showed their faces. Each of them were holding a bow in position to shoot.

Stiyl smirked. "It seems they've fallen into a trap."

"Huh?" Index questioned.

"With a group this size, they're bound to have a leader. But it's easy to tell just by looking at these fools that they're all espers, and that none of them are the leader." Stiyl explained. "The leader must possess the true Bogen des Fegefeurs, meaning we don't have to worry about these fools."

Etrig spoke next. "Kamijo! You go ahead and take down the dungeon boss, I'll handle fighting the encounter enemies and protecting the allies!"

"What?"

"Go!" Etrig shouted. "The boss should be right ahead, or they wouldn't have so many minions right here."

"Right." Kamijo nodded and ran ahead. "I'm leaving it to you Etrig!" Kamijo called back.

Once Kamijo was gone, Stiyl was next to speak. "I wonder why they haven't attacked yet. Well anyways, thanks, you've been a big help, I've been briefed on you by the church of Necessarius, but I still don't trust you."

Etrig pouted. "That's mean!" Etrig complained in a childish voice. "Oh well, it's fair. And they haven't attacked because they know that they're not allowed to combat magicians. They care about the balance just as much as we do. For now anyways. _However..._ " Etrig smiled and his gaze sharpened. "They _can_ play with me." Etrig vanished, appearing above the head of one of the thugs and kicking him off the beam before he could react, watching as he fell into a pile of hay.

* * *

"So," Luthia started, "How exactly are you going to beat me and my wind magic?"

"That's a good question." Tsuchimikado responded. "Well I'm sure you've noticed how my friend seems to have disappeared?"

Luthia gasped and quickly turned around, where Himegami laid in wait, her three blades circling her head. A fierce wind blew Himegami away right before a blade was about to hit Luthia.

Tsuchimikado quickly chanted some words beneath his breath, causing a sphere of water to appear in front of him and fly towards Luthia.

"Shoot!" Luthia swung her arm forward causing a powerful gust of wind to slice the sphere in half and render it useless. Luthia then turned around and jumped over one of Himegami's red blades flying towards her, but while she was in the air she noticed something right behind her, prompting her to turn around.

"Eat this." Tsuchimikado said smirking, before throwing a punch at her face, sending her to the ground where she landed unconscious. "Good work." Tsuchimikado told Himegami after landing. Himegami simply nodded her head in response.

"Now then," Tsuchimikado started. "Let's see what information we can get out of her." Blood trickled out of Tsuchimikado's mouth.

* * *

Kamijo was walking through the construction site but stopped when he noticed a man standing a short distance away from him. He was very tall, had short, spiky brown hair and red eyes. He wore a brown tank top and blue jeans. He also had a bow strapped to his back.

"So I assume you're-" Kamijo was interrupted by an arrow whizzing towards him. Luckily, his reflexes brought his right hand up in front of his face, catching the arrow which was destroyed. "So I assume you're the boss."

"And I assume you're Toma Kamijo, the Imagine Breaker." The man replied. "Tell me, if you're fighting against us, does that mean you support the corruption in Academy City? The death of thousands of people in the shadows?"

"Of course not! But how are you any better? You said you wanted to kill me and Index!"

"That was a bluff. We simply wanted to capture you. You and the library of grimoires are two of the greatest assets to Academy City, and to the church of Necessarius. The goal of Hellbringer as a group is to bring about change in the corrupt systems of the worlds of science and magic. You should join us."

"How can I believe you?"

"I can give you no proof stronger than my word. However, that is truly our objective."

"And you're willing to hurt innocent people to get your way?"

"How are our enemies _innocent_?" The man asked. "They know of the terrible things that happen to people because of their superiors and yet they do nothing to create change!"

Kamijo started running at the man. "That's where you and I can't agree. Using violence for no reason isn't something I can join!" Kamijo reared back his fist. "But... if someone is hurting people for no good reason... then I'll fight!" Kamijo threw a punch towards the man's face. The man caught the punch and threw Kamijo over his back, but Kamijo recovered and landed on the ground.

"Very well." The man spoke. "I'll have to prove our intentions through battle!" The man pulled out the bow and quickly shot an arrow at Kamijo.

'How can he shoot that quickly?' Kamijo punched the arrow with his right hand before running towards the man for another punch, which the man dodged with ease.

"You see," The man started. "The Bogen des Fegefeurs isn't only a weapon, it also enhances the user's physical capabilities, something those pathetic copies can't do." The man jumped back and fired another arrow, which Kamijo caught again, destroying it. The man then shot three arrows at once, one aimed for his head, one his torso, and one his left knee.

Kamijo jumped to his right, punching the arrow aiming for his torso with his right hand, bending his body awkwardly to do so.

"If Academy City and the churches are allowed to continue as is, more and more people will die because of a few peoples' selfish agendas! You can't tell me you _want_ that _Imagine Breaker_?!" The man shouted as he fired an arrow at Kamijo. "You can't say that's _fair_?"

Instead of punching the arrow, Kamijo dodged it and ran towards the man. "Of course it's not. But how are you going to change it?" Kamijo asked running towards the man.

"We'll take care of the problem of course!" The man replied, shooting another arrow.

"And how will you do _that_?!" Kamijo questioned, throwing a punch that destroyed the arrow and continued on to destroy the bow.

"No! Argh!" The man threw a punch at Kamijo's torso, then his cheek, knocking him back a bit. "You want to know how we're going to save lives? We'll eliminate the corrupt leaders that control these systems!" The man ran towards Kamijo rearing a left fist.

"And by eliminate you mean _kill,_ right? I can't accept that!" Kamijo replied, also running towards the man.

"As if they can be considered human in the first place! Why can't you accept that we want to save people?!" The man threw a huge punch at Kamijo.

"You say that you want to save people, but you're going about it the wrong way! You say that you want to save lives, but your plan only leads to more death!" Kamijo ducked the man's punch and reared a larger one of his own with his right hand. "You speak of saving lives from these corrupt systems, but your actions don't have meaning behind them!" Kamijo threw his punch. "All you have are your words. And your words are just an illusion! An illusion that I'M GOING TO DESTROY!" Kamijo's punch hit the man's cheek sending him flying into a support beam and knocking him unconscious.

Kamijo breathed a sigh of relief. "That takes care of that." Kamijo turned towards the unconscious man. "Your heart's in the right place. If you had a better plan that didn't involve killing people I might have joined you." Kamijo clutched his stomach and heard the signature shrieking sound of the Imagine Breaker. "A spell? When did he-" Kamijo paused and thought back to the fight with that man. "It must have been when he punched me." Kamijo concluded. 'What kind of spell did he use? My stomach hurts a lot. Well better head back.' Kamijo started walking back from where he came before he suddenly passed out.

* * *

Kamijo awoke to find himself in a familiar hospital room.

"Here again huh?" Kamijo sighed. Kamijo heard a knock.

"Hey Kami, can we come in?" Tsuchimikado's voice sounded through the door.

"Sure." Kamijo answered. Tsuchimikado, Himegami, Etrig and Index walked through the door. "Hey guys. I'm glad you're all okay. Ugh!" Kamijo winced in pain and grabbed his stomach.

"Toma!" Index cried out in worry and Himegami's face shifted slightly to one of concern.

"I'm fine Index. I'm just glad you're okay. So, anything I need to know?" Kamijo asked Tsuchimikado.

"Well one, you weren't asleep that long this time, only a few hours, and also we didn't get much information from our interrogations. We did, however, figure out where Hellbringer was intending to transport the Bogen Des Fegefeurs. We could've found out more but Etrig tagged along and insisted we didn't torture them." Tsuchimikado answered.

"You can't just torture people!" Etrig replied.

"By the way Kami, where's the girl?" Tsuchimikado asked, ignoring Etrig's outburst.

"Huh?" Index and Himegami's faces turned to ones of rage, Index's being much more clearly visible.

"Every time you save the day you also save a new fair maiden, so where is she?" Tsuchimikado asked once again.

"Tomaaaaa! Are you hiding girls now?!" Index shouted, already prepped in biting position, a red aura surrounding her.

"W-w-wait Index! It's not like that!" Kamijo protested, but to no avail. With a leap, Index opened her mouth and prepared her fangs for an attack on Kamijo.

"Rotten luc-" Kamijo was interrupted by a lack of pain.

"Huh?" Index questioned. She was being held by the back of her shirt instead of chomping down on Toma's head. This never happened.

"Come on Index." Etrig chastised, holding on to Index still. "Show some respect. This is a hospital you can't just go biting people. Not to mention biting is undignified and humiliating, you're not four."

Tsuchimikado chuckled, and Kamijo also laughed warily.

Himegami's face also turned upward in a smile, unnoticedly.

* * *

 **Kamijo: Life returns to normal, or as normal as life gets in Academy City**

 **Kamijo: Etrig battles Misaka, and Misaka learns why Etrig came to Academy City**

 **Kamijo: Later, Etrig cuts school and challenges Accelerator to a fight for a prize**

 **Kamijo: Next time, "Elite Student (Two Schools)"**


	10. Episode 10: Elite Student (Two Schools)

**Me: Time to respond to reviews!**

 **BlueJack22: Indeed I did, good guess**

* * *

Kuroko Shirai tapped a pencil against her desk impatiently, waiting for class to start. The sooner classes started, the sooner they were over, and then she could see her Sissy.

The bell rang. "Alright class," Their female teacher began, "It's time for class to begin. Surely by now you've heard about the co-ed experiment Tokiwadai is performing, so without further ado, please welcome our new students."

Kuroko inwardly groaned as the new students walked in. 'How come there had to be three of them in _my_ class?'

* * *

"What are you doing here?!" Mikoto shouted upon seeing Etrig walk into her class.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Etrig asked, puzzled. "I so happen to be one of the volunteers for this experiment Tokiwadai is conducting." Etrig turned towards the whole class. "Nice to meet you, my name is Etrig." Etrig finished his introduction by bowing.

"Now then, where should you sit?" The teacher pondered. "Hmm... ah! There's an open seat behind Misaka, sit there okay?" She said.

"Okay!" Etrig replied, happily smiling, causing a few of the girls in the room to almost squeal. Etrig walked to his seat and sat down.

"I thought you said you picked a school so you were moving _out_ of the Tokiwadai dorms." Mikoto whispered.

"Oh that, I did." Etrig replied.

"Then what are you doing here?"

Etrig smiled. "I'm enrolled in two schools."

"What? How?"

* * *

 _Meanwhile, at a Certain High School..._

"You know what's weird?" Kamijo said to Tsuchimikado and Aogami at lunch.

"Hmm?" They both replied, their mouths full.

"Etrig hasn't said a word since attendance, and he hasn't moved either. He's not eating too." Kamijo told them.

"That is kind of weird." Aogami said in realization.

"Let me see what's up." Tsuchimikado walked over to Etrig's seat. "Hey what's up?" He asked Etrig. Etrig didn't reply. "Are you feeling okay?" Still no reply. "You awake?" Tsuchimikado put his hand on Etrig's shoulder but his hand passed through and Etrig disappeared for a split-second before returning to the same position.

"A hologram?" Aogami questioned. "Cool. I wish I'd thought of cutting class like that."

'Seriously?' Accelerator thought, drinking coffee while Last Order ate lunch. 'I'm stuck here at school partially because of that kid, and now he's not even here?'

* * *

"Hey Sissy, Kuroko wait up!" Etrig called as he ran up to Mikoto and Kuroko on the unusually empty street they were on.

"Oh hey." Mikoto called back while Kuroko shot Etrig a death glare.

"You. I heard you were here." Kuroko spoke angrily.

"Hey Kuroko." Etrig replied nonchalantly.

"Do you want to hang out today?" Mikoto asked. "Oh, and I guess I kind of forgot to say thanks for everything on Saturday, that's kind of embarrassing." Mikoto scratched her head sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it, I had a lot of fun too! What should we do Sissy?" Etrig questioned.

"We should go to this great sweets shop I know." Mikoto offered.

"Sweets?" Etrig's eyes filled with sparkles. "Yeah! We should definitely do that! I'll pay." Etrig offered. "Since this is our first time hanging out just the three of us."

"If you're sure." Mikoto said.

"But first, we should work up an appetite." Etrig suggested.

"What do you mean?" Mikoto questioned.

"You see... I've been itching for a rematch." Etrig explained, smirking.

Mikoto smirked. "Oh really?"

"Yeah. But no swords this time. And we'll fight here since no one's around."

"Sure. Sounds fun." Mikoto agreed.

"Are you sure about this Sissy?" Kuroko questioned.

"Yeah, it'll be fun. And how about this? Loser buys the sweets." Mikoto offered.

"Alright, let's start. You can make the first attack." Etrig told Mikoto.

"Back up Kuroko." Kuroko teleported backwards before Mikoto launched a large lightning bolt at Etrig, which he blocked by putting his right hand in front of him. Mikoto gasped. "You don't have the same ability as that idiot do you?" Mikoto asked.

"You'll have to specify. Who are you talking about?" Etrig questioned.

"Ugh. Kamijo, I'm talking about Kamijo." Mikoto explained.

"Kamijo has an ability? I thought he was a level 0."

"Forget it, let's keep going." Mikoto created a iron sand blade.

Etrig observed the iron sand. "Let's see... iron-sand particles moving at high speed... hey that could kill me!" Etrig exclaimed.

"Then I guess you'll have to dodge." Mikoto answered.

'This is bad. Misaka doesn't even have to touch the blades to attack me with them.' Etrig thought.

Mikoto ran towards Etrig, stopping in front of him and swinging her blade of iron sand, which Etrig dodged by jumping backwards. Mikoto continued to attack by swinging the blade of iron sand at Etrig, and Etrig continued to dodge until he ducked under a slice and ran towards Mikoto.

"Bad idea." Mikoto spoke. Mikoto transformed her blade into a whip and swung it back towards Etrig. A shield appeared on Etrig's back, blocking the iron sand whip. Etrig's right hand started sparking with electricity as he reared it back into a fist.

"Thunder Punch!" Etrig shouted as he punched Mikoto in the stomach, causing her to skid back a few feet and also causing the iron sand whip to disappear.

"Not bad." Mikoto said, regaining her balance. "That tickled."

"Huh?"

"You should know better than to use electricity based attacks on me." Mikoto told Etrig. "Now then, make your next move." Mikoto smirked.

"Hmm..." Etrig held his chin. "If thunder won't work, then let's try ice!" Etrig's hands started glowing light-blue. Etrig ran towards Mikoto and threw a punch with his right hand, which Mikoto dodged, then one with his left hand that Mikoto also dodged before jumped backwards. Etrig's hand hit the ground, freezing it for a second.

"Did you surround your hands with ice?" Mikoto asked.

"To put it simply, my hands are so cold they'll freeze anything they touch right now." Etrig answered.

"I see." Mikoto fired a bolt of lighting with her hand. Etrig dodged the lightning as Mikoto threw two more bolts at him. Etrig's hands stopped glowing while Etrig blocked one lightning bolt with each hand. Mikoto threw two, much larger bolts of lightning at Etrig, which he dodged by running to the side.

Etrig pulled a quarter out of his pocket and put it on his thumb and index finger. He flipped the coin in the air.

Mikoto and Kuroko gasped. "You're not trying to-"

"Copy my Railgun?!" Mikoto finished.

Etrig smiled. "Just kidding." Etrig reared his leg back as the coin came down, then, suddenly, something shot past Mikoto and crashed into the ground behind her.

Mikoto's eyes widened.

"You see, I don't have to do it _exactly_ like you do." Etrig told Mikoto. "As long as I can aim it properly and get it to move as fast as your Railgun, it can used as a weapon. By transferring the energy from my foot moving at high speed to the coin, I can replicate the effects of your Railgun to a degree. It's not _nearly_ as refined or easy to aim however."

"You're saying you _kicked that_?" Mikoto questioned.

"Yep. Cool huh?" Etrig responded. "Now then, why don't you test out _your_ Railgun on me?"

"What? You must be joking." Kuroko spoke.

"I'm serious." Etrig answered.

"No way, that could kill you!" Mikoto shouted.

"I promise it won't kill me! I just want to see how well I can take a Railgun." Etrig responded.

"No way!"

"It doesn't even have to be a full power Railgun! Please Sissy?" Etrig pleaded.

"Why do you want this so badly?"

"I already told you, I just want to test my ability to withstand your strongest move Sissy."

"...Fine. But I don't want to hear any complaints about what happens!" Mikoto took out an arcade coin. Etrig clapped and put his hands out in goalie position.

"Get ready!" Mikoto flipped her coin and fired her Railgun as it came down. A huge boom could be heard as an orange light made its way straight through Etrig's stomach before dying off.

"Wow... you're pretty strong." Etrig fell to his knees, a hole in his stomach, eyes still open.

"Oh no!" Mikoto and Kuroko each shouted. Kuroko teleported to Etrig and Mikoto ran over to him. Kuroko lifted Etrig's head onto her lap.

"Quick, call a hospital." Kuroko told Mikoto.

"Stop freaking out, I'm fine." Etrig told them. Etrig stood up.

"But ho-"

"Just look." Etrig told Mikoto. Mikoto looked where the hole had been, and was shocked to see it was gone and his shirt was back.

"Wh-what did you do?" Mikoto asked.

"I healed, simply. Sorry to worry you. Guess I should've told you beforehand that healing was within my range of capabilities." Etrig answered. Etrig stretched out his arms and legs and fell to the ground. "Guess you win Sissy. I'm buying _today_ , but I'll win next time." Etrig coughed.

"Yeah you are." Mikoto said, turning around quickly. "Don't worry me like that again, or you'll be in big trouble."

"You were worried about me?" Etrig asked, getting up. "Aww!"

"Not like that!" Mikoto shouted back with red cheeks. "I was worried about you like any sane person would be."

"Well... let's go!" Etrig walked off a little bit before turning around. "Which way's that sweets shop?"

"That way." Mikoto pointed the way.

"Now let's go!" Etrig cheered enthusiastically, running off in the direction of the sweets shop.

* * *

"Darn my rotten luck!" Kamijo sat in his desk, the only student left in his classroom, staring at his test score. "Ms. Komoe, when you told me so happily that my score was a lot higher than it normally is, I thought I was finally going to get a good grade!" Kamijo griped to his teacher, Tsukuyomi Komoe.

"... But instead, it was just a D plus!" Kamijo finished.

"But-but look at it this way, your grades have been steadily increasing for a while now." Ms. Komoe attempted to console her student.

"At least it's not a F." Kamijo said in a tone of resignation.

* * *

"By the way Sissy," Etrig spoke up as he, Mikoto and Kuroko neared the sweets shop.

"Huh?"

"Do you want to know the secret reason I came to Academy City?" Etrig questioned.

"Why?" Mikoto asked.

"It's not much of a secret really." Etrig said. "I came because I wanted to make the world a better place, and what better place to start than the corrupt Academy City?" Etrig said.

"I've been meaning to ask for a while now, but are you really the child of an Academy City Director?" Kuroko asked.

"Now _that's_ a secret." Etrig said cheerily. "But more importantly, where was I? Oh, right. As I was saying, I came here to make the world a better place. But to do that, I'll allies, knights I'll call them, yeah knights."

"Knights?" Kuroko and Mikoto questioned.

"Yeah, like the Knights of the Round Table. You guys know about that legend right?"

"Yeah." Mikoto answered.

"Well I'm King Arthur, and me and my knights will help make the world a better place, or at least that's the plan. So Mikoto, want to join my Round Table?" Etrig asked. "But before you answer I must warn you that this no little idealistic boy's scouts group. This is _real_ and quite possibly dangerous since we're starting in Academy City." Etrig told Mikoto.

"Hmm... I'll need some time to think, that okay? It's a lot you're asking of after all." Mikoto answered.

"Sure! Look, we're here!" Etrig pointed to the sweets shop, pointing out that they just arrived at their destination.

* * *

 **The Next Day...**

Kamijo walked into the classroom. As usual, he was one of the last ones there.

'I'll have to buy food for Index again today.' Kamijo thought to himself.

"Hey Kami, over here." Tsuchimikado waved Kamijo over to himself. Kamijo walked to Etrig's desk, where Tsuchimikado and Aogami were standing, and Etrig was sitting.

"What's up?" Kamijo asked.

"He's cutting class again." Aogami answered, waving a hand through Etrig's hologram. "I wish he'd tell me how to get my hands on one of these holograms."

"Should we tell Ms. Komoe?" Kamijo asked.

"Of course not Kami!" Tsuchimikado answered. "If he's going through all this to skip class who are we to stop him?"

"Who's skipping class?" Himegami spoke up.

"Ah!" Exclaimed Tsuchimikado and Aogami.

"Hey Himegami." Kamijo spoke.

"Who's skipping class?" Himegami asked again.

"No-no one!" Kamijo answered quickly.

"Etrig." Tsuchimikado spoke.

"What?! Didn't you just say that we weren't telling?" Kamijo cried out in shock.

"Himegami won't tell, right?" Aogami questioned. Himegami nodded her head. "Right. After all, that wouldn't be cute at all, would it?"

"Good. Still, I wonder what Etrig's doing that he would skip class." Tsuchimikado spoke.

"Probably using this time to get girls~" Aogami exclaimed.

"He's not a pervert like you." Kamijo commented dryly.

* * *

"You never did answer my question." Mikoto spoke to Etrig between sips of milk. "How are you attending multiple schools?"

Etrig took a big bite of the sandwich he was eating for lunch and spoke after swallowing. "You see, I have a hologram stationed in my other school that records audio and video so I don't miss anything. I have to ask for consent before I use the video function though."

"Don't you watch videos taken without consent all the time, 'Mr. Son of an Academy City director?'" Kuroko Shirai asked.

Etrig motioned to knock on his skull and stick out his tongue slightly. "Heh heh. But that's different, that would be official Academy City business. I have to ask for consent because this is for personal use." Etrig answered. "Otherwise, it's illegal and the position of being the son of an Academy City director wouldn't save me." Etrig took another bite of his sandwich.

"So you just don't go to your other school?" Kuroko asked

"Some days I'll go there, others I'll come here." Etrig answered.

"So what's the name of your other school?" Mikoto asked.

"That's a good question, unfortunately I don't know."

"You don't know?" Kuroko questioned.

"Nope. But I do know it's the school Kamijo goes to." Etrig answered.

"You're going to a high school?" Mikoto questioned.

"Yep. Last Order's there too, so if you ever want to know how she's doing you can ask me." The bell rang. Etrig ate the rest of his sandwich in one bite. "See you later Sissy, Kuroko." Etrig left the table to head to class.

* * *

It was Wednesday, and Kamijo was walking to school.

Kamijo felt a tap on his shoulder. "Hey Kami."

Kamijo turned around. "What do you want Tsuchimi-" But to his surprise it wasn't Tsuchimikado or Aogami behind him, it was Etrig. "Hey Etrig." Kamijo said as he kept walking.

"Kami wait up!" Etrig called after Kamijo as he jogged to catch up.

"Why are _you_ calling me that now?" Kamijo asked.

"I call the people I respect by nicknames." Etrig answered. "Well, the people I admire is more accurate. Now give me a piggyback ride Kami!" Etrig jumped on Kamijo's back.

"What are you doing?" Kamijo asked.

"I want a ride to school Kami, please give me one." Etrig stared at Kamijo with puppy eyes.

"No! Now get off my back, literally!"

"Aw!" Etrig complained, complying with Kamijo's request.

"So where were you yesterday?" Kamijo questioned.

"In class." Etrig replied simply.

"We found your hologram."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. So where were you really?" Kamijo asked again.

"In class. I was at Tokiwadai Middle School."

"Isn't that Zapper's school?"

"Yep. On days I don't come to your school, I go there." Etrig explained.

"I see. Oh look, we're here." Kamijo pointed to the school, signifying that they just arrived. "See? It wasn't that far, you didn't need a ride."

Etrig pouted. "I see how it is."

"Huh?"

"You're only nice to girls." Etrig stomped off into the school.

* * *

Mikoto turned around to look at Etrig, who had been sitting in the exact same position the entire class period.

"Eyes on the board." The teacher, a woman in her 40's told Mikoto.

"Sorry."

"Etrig, why don't you answer the question on the board?" The teacher asked. Etrig didn't respond. "Etrig."

Etrig's hologram fizzled out and returned. "Etrig is currently elsewhere, but rest assured, he will be fully caught up on the lesson." Etrig's voice came from the hologram.

The teacher sighed. "Misaka, why don't you answer the question then?"

Mikoto snapped her head away from Etrig and back towards the teacher. "Huh?"

* * *

"So where were you yesterday and Monday, were you sick?" Aogami asked Etrig at lunch.

"No, but where I was is a secret." Etrig answered.

"Come on, tell us." Tsuchimikado pressured.

Etrig chuckled. "Nope."

"Whatever." Aogami decided to move onto a new topic. "So Kami,"

"Huh?"

"The Ichihanaransai festival is coming soon enough and we're going to be starting the preparations for it soon."

"Oh yeah, I suppose you're right." Tsuchimikado responded.

"A festival?" Etrig spoke. "Sounds like fun!"

"Haven't you celebrated the Ichihanaransai festival before?" Kamijo asked.

"Nope. This'll be my first year in Academy City." Etrig responded.

"Well then, we'll just make this the best Ichihanaransai festival of your life!" Aogami declared.

"Until next year!" Etrig added, causing them all to start laughing.

* * *

It was after school and Accelerator and Etrig had met up in a empty park.

"So why did you call me here?" Accelerator asked.

"Simply put, I think your vector control is impressive, so I want you to teach me." Etrig answered.

"That's the worst joke I've heard in a while. Come on, you and I both know that's not how esper abilities work, I can't just teach you how to use vector control, even if I wanted."

"In most cases, yes. But have you forgotten how my ability works?" Etrig questioned. "My ability allows me to perform any action that's part of a game... that's pretty broad you know."

"Yeah that's broad, but tell me, in what game is vector control a part of it?" Accelerator asked.

"Maybe vector control specifically isn't a part of any game, but the ability to learn skills from a teacher is." Etrig answered.

"So you're telling me your esper ability lets you learn how to use other esper abilities just by having them teach you?"

"Well... it's not quite that simple. I still have to make all the calculations to utilize the esper ability, and that could be quite difficult. After all, I've been used to one specific esper ability for so long that learning a new one would require me completely redoing the process of learning how to make the necessary calculations." Etrig explained.

"In that case, no way. I have a hard enough time buying you can learn how to use other espers' abilities, but even if it's true, there's no way I'm going to waste the effort teaching you how to calculate vector control."

"In that case, it's a good thing I've already thought up a plan for how to easily make the calculations."

"And what's that?" Accelerator questioned.

"Remember when I advised you to keep that choker of yours?"

"Yeah. Wait, you don't mean- you're not seriously planning on using my choker to have the SISTERS network make the calculations for you?"

"Yep. Even if it does reduce the amount of time I can use vector control, it will drastically reduce the amount of time it takes me to learn how to use your ability. In fact, without the choker, it's entirely possible I might never completely learn how to use vector control." Etrig told Accelerator.

"I see. You seem to have thought this through pretty well, if all you're saying is true."

"So you'll teach me?" Etrig asked with sparkles in his eyes.

Accelerator sighed and scratched his head. "Of course not kid. If I went teaching a weakling like you the ability of the top dog of Academy City, people would think it's easy to climb the ranks like me and then where would I be? I'd constantly be approached by idiots who either want to challenge me or try to learn my ability if they somehow thought they could." Accelerator answered.

"Aww."

Accelerator turned around. "Now that we've established the fact that I'm not teaching you a thing, I'm out of here." Accelerator started walking away.

"Wait!" Etrig called out to Accelerator.

"What?" Accelerator asked annoyingly, turning around.

"I challenge you to a fight. And if I win, you'll teach me!" Etrig declared.

Accelerator smirked. "C'mon kid, act with a little more dignity than this. You'd be up against the number 1 esper, _the_ Accelerator. Save yourself the embarrassment and just go home kid."

"What's wrong Accelerator? Are you... _chicken?_ Bawk, Bawk, Bawk!" Etrig mocked Accelerator.

"I'm sorry, _what_?" Accelerator started chuckling, which then turned into maniacal laughter. "I can't remember the last time someone called me chicken." Accelerator smirked. "In fact, I don't think there _was_ one. If you really want to die that badly, then get ready!" Etrig held his arms up in boxing position.

* * *

 **Kamijo: The epic battle between the number one esper and the mysterious boy is set to begin**

 **Kamijo: One fighter jumps to an early lead but a shift in Accelerator's psyche changes everything**

 **Kamijo: Black wings appear, and Etrig's attempt to go Super Sonic ends badly**

 **Kamijo: Next time, "Accelerator vs Etrig". When Science and Magic cross paths, a story is born**


	11. Episode 11: Accelerator vs Etrig!

**Me: Time to respond to some reviews:**

 **Guest: Every character plays their role when the time comes, but I don't see a reason to defend something as subjective as _why_ my "OC" exists**

 **BlueJack22: A dark core huh? I wonder...**

* * *

"Come at me." Accelerator told Etrig, who was standing in front of him in fighting position. "I've been wanting to put you in your place since I met you, you little brat."

"All right then." Etrig dashed towards Accelerator, appearing right in his face in an instant, then throwing a punch. Etrig's hand nearly hit Accelerator, but due to Accelerator's reflection being active, Etrig's hand moved back towards him, bending in a unnatural position.

"Ow!" Etrig jumped back to recover and shook his hand as it slowly regained its natural shape. "I guess I can't just attack you with your Vector Reflection up, now can I?" Etrig scratched his head, trying to think of ways to bypass Accelerator's reflection.

"Of course you can't, any attack you throw at me will automatically be reflected right back. And trust me, a lot worst things can happen to you then just your hand being bent out of shape." Accelerator spoke, saying the last part with a evil smirk slipping onto his face.

"Hmm... then let's try this." Etrig punched the ground, opening up a crack that went from his to Accelerator's feet, then explosions started popping out of it, an extremely large one blowing at Accelerator's feet, the explosion so large it cause smoke to rise between Accelerator and Etrig.

*Cough* *Cough*, "I wonder how that fared." Etrig pondered. As the smoke cleared Etrig could make out the figure of Accelerator, and when the smoke cleared completely, Etrig could see him standing there, completely unharmed.

Accelerator scratched his chin. "Now I wonder, why is it that people always come to the conclusion that my reflection might not work on attacks aimed at the bottom of my feet? I mean, sure, it's not _that_ bad an idea, but think about it. I can reflect vectors away from any part of myself, including the soles of my feet." Accelerator lectured.

Etrig smirked. "Heh."

"What's so funny?"

"Just that you seriously think I don't know your weakness." Etrig replied.

"What weakness? Now that I can use my esper ability for a nearly unlimited quantity of time, I don't have any weaknesses!" Accelerator declared.

"Really? Cool!" Etrig shouted in admiration. "Now then, let's see if that's really true." Etrig walked towards Accelerator and stopped right in front of him. Etrig reared back a punch with his right hand and threw it at Accelerator's face. Accelerator smirked as the punch neared his face, only to suddenly feel a sharp pain in his stomach.

"Wh-what?" Accelerator looked down to see Etrig's left fist in his stomach. Accelerator's face shifted to one of shock. "H-how did you... that darn Kihara!" Accelerator shouted in realization of what happened.

"So you figured it out. What will you do now?" Etrig asked.

"Heh. What will I do now? You're such a pain in the butt, I think I might just kill you." Accelerator answered. Accelerator threw his hand towards Etrig's shoulder. "All I have to do is touch you and I can reverse the blood flow of your body and make it all come rushing out of you." Right before Accelerator's hand touched Etrig's shoulder, Etrig backflipped away. Accelerator continued using his ability to boost himself towards Etrig and make a grab at him, and Etrig continued dodging.

'The kid's too fast. I won't be able to catch him like this. In that case...' Accelerator stomped on the sand below him, causing a pillar of sand to spurt up, blocking his and Etrig's vision of each other.

"Huh? Where'd he go?" Etrig looked from side to side for Accelerator, but was unable to find him. Accelerator, in the meanwhile, boosted at Etrig from the side and was about to grab him.

"There you are!" Etrig shouted, jumping back in the opposite direction from where Accelerator was coming while underhand tossing a yellow ball of energy at Accelerator, which bounced off him right back towards Etrig, who narrowly ducked away from it. Accelerator continued boosting and grabbed at Etrig. Etrig put two fingers to his forehead and disappeared, reappearing behind Accelerator and shooting a pink blast at him from his hand. The blast repelled off Accelerator's back, hitting Etrig and sending him flying backwards.

"Did you really think that if I was focused on attacking I wouldn't be able to use my reflection?" Accelerator asked as Etrig got up.

"Heh. Guess it won't be that easy to stand up to the top dog. Still, this isn't just about learning to use vector manipulation anymore. This is about pride."

"Pride?"

"Yeah. There's no way I'm going to lose, whether it's to you, Misaka, Kamijo or anyone else!" With that declaration, Etrig put his open hands together and pulled them behind him. "Ka...me...ha...me...Haaaaaaaaaa!" Etrig thrust his hands forward, a large blue beam of light leaving them and speeding towards Accelerator.

Accelerator smirked as the beam neared him. After all, it didn't matter how big an attack was, it would simply bounce off him. All of a sudden Accelerator's eyes widened.

 ***Boom***

* * *

There was a huge explosion as the beam detonated, causing a massive amount of smoke to blanket the park.

"I wonder if I got him this time." Etrig pondered after recovering from a coughing fit. The smoke finally cleared and Etrig could see...

...Accelerator walking towards him coughing. *Cough* *Cough* Taking a closer look at him, one could see that Accelerator's sleeves had ripped. "That was one heck of a close one there. I can't believe you bent that stupid laser of yours. If I hadn't accelerated the vectors of momentum underneath my feet and pushed myself backwards, that attack would've bent back and my reflection would've redirected that whole thing back into my face."

"You noticed." Etrig spoke bitterly.

"Oh. What's wrong? Have you finally realized you're no match for me?" Accelerator taunted. 'Still, that was too close. I guess I can't get overconfident even with most of my power back.'

There were a few moments of silence, until finally, "You know why I restored your ability?" Etrig asked.

"So you could try to blackmail me into doing your bidding. Right?" Accelerator answered knowingly.

"Correct. That was the main reason, but there were much easier ways I could've chosen to go about doing that. So, why do you think I chose this path?"

"Beats me. And honestly, I don't really care. This fight was just getting interesting, and I was looking forward to continuing."

"The reason I helped fix your ability was because you can't protect Last Order without it."

"No way." Accelerator said disbelievingly. "You have some sort of plans involving her?! I won't let you, you know."

"No, no. You're mistaking me for a horrible person. Last Order is the control tower of the entire SISTERS network, serial number 20001. And because of that, she's bound to have lots of people after her. Right now, you and Kamijo may just be the only people she can count on to defend her. And Kamijo's got his plate full already. And besides, I'd say that you and Last Order's relationship is a mutually beneficial one, wouldn't you say?"

"How so?" Accelerator questioned.

"Don't you think that meeting Last Order has helped you become a better person?" Accelerator didn't answer. "Whatever. Honestly, I'm itching to fight you at full strength, so I'm going to wrap this up. If I win, that means you're too weak to protect Last Order. So instead of you teaching me your ability, if I win, I'll take away your esper ability all over again, and then I'll take Last Order into our custody."

"What?! So you've been lying this entire time. You did have something in mind for Last Order! I'll kill you before I let that happen."

"You'll have to kill me if you really want to stop me." Etrig ran quickly towards Accelerator. "I'm tired of idle chit chat!" Etrig threw a punch towards Accelerator's stomach, pulling it back at the last second so that Accelerator's reflection caused it to quickly reverse direction into Accelerator's stomach.

"Agh." Accelerator grunted as Etrig's punch hit him in the stomach.

Etrig next used his knee to hit Accelerator, taking advantage of the fact that Accelerator's reflection was still active. Then he shot a fireball out of the palm of his hand. Accelerator turned off his reflection right as the fireball got close to him.

'There. He's probably betting on my reflection being on, so he's likely going to try to redirect that attack.' But instead of the fireball bouncing back away from Accelerator, the fireball kept going and hit Accelerator, burning a small bit of his shirt. 'Urgh. This isn't good. I can't predict how he's going to attack and I can't risk guessing. Fine. I'll just focus on offense for now.'

Accelerator recovered and searched the sand for something. 'Perfect.' Accelerator stomped his foot on the sand, causing a cluster of sharp pebbles to rise and shoot towards Etrig. Etrig raised his hand, causing a circular portal that was red on the outside, blue in the middle and white on the inside to appear. The pebbles flew through the portal and then disappeared, along with the portal itself.

While Etrig was doing that, Accelerator boosted towards Etrig, and was grabbed his face. 'There!' Accelerator used his ability to make all the blood explode out of Etrig's body, leaving a bloody mess on the scene.

"There. That takes care of that." Accelerator said, wiping his hands on his pants. Then, the Etrig on the ground vanished, as did the blood. "Huh?"

"Sorry, you got a fake." Etrig spoke up from behind Accelerator.

Accelerator did some calculations in his head and then turned around, using his ability to assault Etrig with a huge wind.

"Whoa!" Etrig exclaimed as the windstorm nearly blew him off his feet. "Urgh..." Etrig continued trying to stand his ground. "I've got it. I just have to add a new variable to his calculations." Etrig stuck one hand forward, and from that hand came a huge gust of wind that dissipated Accelerator's attack. "You can try that again if you want. But... I'll just do the same thing again."

"You're persistent, I'll give you that." Four tornados appeared behind Accelerator's back, propelling him into the air. "Let's see how well you dodge me when I'm up here." Etrig quickly prepared to create another gust of wind from his hand, but was too slow and before he could, Accelerator rushed in front of him. Etrig applied an explosive force to the ground with his hands to launch himself backwards.

"Hmm... now who left these here?" Accelerator gestured to a cluster of soda cans around his feet as he landed. Accelerator then picked each one up individually and crushed them. "Perfect. Now I've got some compact projectiles. Why don't you help me out with some target practice?" Accelerator gently tapped one of the soda cans with his foot, causing it to shoot towards Etrig faster than a bullet. Etrig immediately used his arms to create a green barrier around himself. The can bounced off the barrier, falling to the ground harmlessly, but the barrier was slightly punctured.

'Good. He won't be able to use that to protect himself from all of these attacks.' Accelerator kicked three more cans, one after the other, each one moving faster than the one before. Each can bounced off Etrig's barrier in the exact same spot, but each hit opened a wider and wider hole, the hole being just a little too small for a can to fit through.

Etrig's barrier dissipated, and Etrig quickly shot a barrage of fireballs out of his hands, each of the fireballs bouncing off Accelerator and back at Etrig, who just barely managed to avoid them.

"You're getting desperate." Accelerator told Etrig. "Guess I'll do you a favor and end this now." Accelerator picked up the two remaining cans and used his ability to adjust them so they were the shape of very crude knives, more then sharp enough to cut skin. Accelerator boosted towards Etrig, holding a makeshift knife in each hand. Etrig gasped, then quickly jumped back to avoid Accelerator's attack.

As Etrig jumped away from the boosting Accelerator, a can-knife shot out of each of Accelerator's hands, the one in his right hand cutting Etrig's left cheek and the one in his left hand cutting Etrig's right rib.

"Urgh." Etrig fell to the ground, keeping up on one knee. Accelerator walked to him nonchalantly. Accelerator put his hand over Etrig's forehead, prepared to land the finishing blow.

"Well congrats, you won." Etrig congratulated Accelerator. "Now finish me. Isn't that what you said you'd do?" Etrig asked.

"Yeah." Accelerator smirked. "It is." Accelerator lowered his hand towards Etrig's head. At that moment, his mind flashbacked to when he first met Etrig. _The stupid promise he'd made. How he said he would protect Last Order without killing. Ridiculous, as if he'd ever be able to do that. And even if he did, he was beyond redemption anyways._ '"You can't protect Last Order forever, _unless_ you follow her to heaven." That's what he said isn't it? Maybe... maybe I should listen a little closer.' "Hmph.

"Aaaaaaaaah!" Accelerator screamed suddenly as black, formless wings grew from his back and lifted him into the air.

"What?!" Etrig exclaimed, opening his eyes and jumping off the ground. "Why now?! Argh... this was unexpected. Now I have to make sure Accelerator doesn't destroy this entire place, along with us!" Blades of wind flew from Accelerator's wings, just narrowly missing Etrig and leaving deep cuts in the ground. More blades of wind continuously shot towards Etrig, and instead of dodging them, Etrig blocked them with his arms, the attacks dissipating as they hit him. Several of the blades bypassed Etrig's arms, however, and hit him in the ribs.

"Aah!" Etrig exclaimed as blood spilled from his side. Etrig jumped up towards Accelerator and reared back his right arm to throw a punch, but as he neared Accelerator, the shapeless wings around Accelerator's back pushed Etrig into the ground, causing him to groan in pain. "Let's try this!" Etrig exclaimed as he stood up. Chunks of ice appeared suspended in the air around Etrig, before flying towards Accelerator.

As the ice approached Accelerator, his wings stretched from his back and destroyed all the ice shards coming near him.

'Urgh! How do I save him like this?!' Etrig pondered. 'Wait! _That_ might work!' "I hate to do this! Arrrrgh!" Etrig's entire body began to radiate a golden light.

"* #%^&*!" Accelerator hollered incoherent sounds that sounded like the word kill as a large black beam shot out of his wings towards Etrig. Etrig flew through the beam, getting pushed back as he penetrated it.

"Wake up!" Etrig shouted as he reached Accelerator. "What would Last Order think?!" Etrig roared as he punched Accelerator in the face. Accelerator's wings disappeared immediately after Etrig's punch hit home and there was a large explosion of gold and black light.

 _'Last Order. That's right. There's no point in gaining any amount of strength anymore if I forget about her.'_ These were Accelerator's last thoughts as he drifted into unconsciousness.

* * *

Accelerator awoke to find himself in a hospital room. "Huh?"

"Oh. You're awake." A doctor with a face that was oddly similar to a frog spoke from the side of Accelerator's bed.

"What am I doing here?" Accelerator asked.

"That kid brought you here. Even though the only real injury you had was some slight burns and a bruise on your left cheek, and he was close to dying of blood loss from his cheek and abdomen combined with complete lack of energy, he still somehow carried you here and asked me to make sure you were okay. Honestly. I'm not sure if he would've even asked for treatment if I hadn't insisted that he stay for it."

"Oh really? Is that what happened?"

"Just look beside you." Accelerator looked to the bed next to his to see Etrig sleeping, breathing heavily.

"Is he-

"He'll be fine. After some simple treatment, the only actual issue is that he's somehow spent all of his energy. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you? That, and a local park being destroyed in some kind of mysterious explosion."

"Hmph. I know nothing about that."

"...Well, if that's all your questions, then I'll be taking my leave." The doctor turned away momentarily before turning back towards Accelerator. "Oh yeah, Last Order is in the waiting area worried sick about you two." The frog-faced doctor exited the room, leaving Accelerator and Etrig alone in the room.

Accelerator looked at Etrig again. ' _That liar. He didn't have any intention to take Last Order at all.'_ "Moron. I didn't need your help.

"Maybe... just maybe... I'll teach you my ability after all, kid."

* * *

 **Kamijo: An abduction occurs, and rumors of Academy City going to war are circling again**

 **Kamijo: Etrig hopes to increase his esper level, and I hope to improve my financial situation**

 **Kamijo: Me and Index are enjoying a nice day on the town, until _she_ interrupts**

 **Kamijo: Next time, "Abduction (Bad Move)", when Science and Magic cross paths, a story is born**


	12. Episode 12: Abduction (Bad Move)

Etrig walked into class Thursday morning with Kamijo, Aogami and Tsuchimikado.

"With all this talk of a war going on, more and more kids are getting pulled out of Academy City. Although, the frequency has fallen." Aogami said.

"Yeah. What'll we do if all the girls leave?" Tsuchimikado asked.

"Are girls really all you think about?" Kamijo asked disapprovingly.

"You really don't need to worry about a war." Etrig spoke.

"Really? And why is that?" Kamijo questioned.

"The world leaders can't really be so dumb as to thrown away innocent lives over something so stupid, right?"

"I don't know." Tsuchimikado responded. "The world leaders can make some pretty dumb decisions sometimes. And selfish ones too."

"Hey! You all need to take your seats, class is about to start!" Fukiyose told them.

"Okay..." Kamijo, Aogami and Tsuchimikado said reluctantly.

* * *

"I'll be leaving early today." Etrig told Kamijo, Accelerator and Last Order at lunch.

"Don't care." Accelerator responded, continuing to eat his ramen he had for lunch.

"Aw! Don't be that way, Misaka Misaka complains, upset at Accelerator's rude attitude and just to clearly display her anger, Misaka Misaka shakes her fists at Accelerator."

"So, why are you going to be leaving early today?" Kamijo asked.

"I'm getting a reevaluation of my esper ability. I'm hoping they'll realize that I have an ability and update my rank to level 3 or 4." Etrig said cheerfully.

"That's quite the big jump." Kamijo commented.

"Yep. See you later Kami, Accelerator." Etrig said, waving goodbye as he left.

* * *

Later that day, Kamijo was surprised to see that his pay stipend from the city was that of a level 4. "Huh?" Was all he said as he pondered the sudden change.

* * *

Friday passed without event, and the weekend was upon Kamijo.

"Toma, Toma!" Index yelled, jumping up and down while holding Sphinx.

"Breakfast will be done soon." Kamijo replied with a smile, before returning his focus to the pan.

"Not that." Index said with a pout. "Today's Saturday, so that means you don't have school, right?" Index asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Why? That means that we can spend all day together Toma!" Index said excitingly, proceeding to spin around, holding Sphinx over her head and chanting 'a day with Toma!' over and over.

Kamijo just chuckled. "Sure. After breakfast, why don't we take Sphinx for a walk?"

"Okay." Index replied happily, nodding with a smile.

* * *

Kamijo and Index spent the morning walking Sphinx around the city before deciding to leave him with Maika so they could both see more parts of the city they hadn't seen yet.

Suddenly, Kamijo had an idea for something fun. "Hey Index. You like Magical Powered Kanamin, right?" Kamijo asked.

"Yeah, I do. Why do you ask?"

"Just follow me. We're going to an arcade."

"Why an arcade?" Was all Index had time to utter before Kamijo grabbed her arm and dragged her to an arcade.

"So now will you tell me why we're here?" Index asked Kamijo as they walked into an arcade in the underground mall.

"Well you see. They have a Magical Powered Kanamin fighting game in this arcade." Kamijo explained.

"Really? A MPK game?!"

"Yeah."

"Then what are waiting for? Let's play already!"

Kamijo chuckled and led Index to the game.

"Uh... Toma... how do I play?" Index asked after each of them selected their character and then Index picked the stage.

"It's simple. You use that stick to move the character around, and press the buttons on top or on the back to attack."

"Oh okay. Let's play!"

They played three rounds, Kamijo only willing to pay once. Kamijo won the first round, but Index won both of the next rounds.

"Wow Index, you've got a talent for this."

"I may not know much about technology, but I do know about Magical Powered Kanamin." Index puffed out her chest.

"Let's keep walking around and see some other stuff." Kamijo suggested.

"Okay Toma." With that, Index and Kamijo left and continued to walk around town.

* * *

Kamijo and Index were walking by a park when Index pointed at something. "Toma, Toma! I've seen one of those before, they're called 'vending machines'!" Index said, proud of her recognition.

"Yeah they are." Kamijo said with a slight smile at seeing Index so happy. That smile soon fell when he saw who was at the vending machine. "Oh no." Kamijo said, his earnest smile replaced with a twitching smile and a sweatdrop on his face.

"Aah!" Mikoto grunted as she kicked the vending machine, the air force from her kick causing her skirt to lift a little bit.

"Toma! Why is Short Hair here?" Index asked.

'Of all the parks to end up in. Why this one?' Kamijo asked god, half expecting an answer that made it sound like god hated him. "Let's go Index. Better to leave Zapper to her Zappery antics."

"Hey! Don't just ignore me!" Mikoto shouted, shooting a precisely aimed lightning bolt at Kamijo, which, of course, he blocked with his right hand. Mikoto dashed up to them at superhuman speed. "So what are you two doing here together, are you on a d-d-d-d-d-d-date?" Mikoto asked.

"N-n-n-n-n-n-n-no! That's not it at all. You see, we-we just..." Kamijo tried desperately to save himself, but knew in his heart that it was too late and that Index was soon to snack on his head. But surprisingly, when he turned fearfully towards Index, her rage at the current moment was not directed towards Kamijo, but Mikoto.

"Short Hair... just why are you here? Is the whole meaning for your existence in life to get between me and Toma? If so, I think you're in need of a little divine retribution." Index said spookily, a blueish purple aura building around her.

Mikoto, on the other hand, had a deep red blush spreading across her entire face. "W-what? Don't be ridiculous! What do I care who this idiot goes out with?!"

"Then why do you always make a fuss whenever you see me and Toma?" Index asked suspiciously.

"W-well firstly; that habit of yours. It's not something people in Academy City generally wear, so naturally I have to wonder what you're doing here, heh heh." Mikoto chuckled nervously.

"It's none of your business what _I_ wear."

"Well anyways, the only reason I ask is because I'm worried that the pervert over there is forcing you into something."

"Well he's not. He's not _that_ bad."

Kamijo felt a stake through his heart as Index said those words. ' _T_ - _that_ bad?'

"So what you're saying Short Hair, is that if me and Toma were going out, you wouldn't care one bit, right?" Index questioned.

Mikoto went red again. "Well Silver Sister, maybe I wouldn't go that far. Maybe I'd care a bit..."

"Which is it Short Hair?!" Index questioned.

"Let me think Silver Sister!" Mikoto screamed back, as the two shot lightning out of their eyes at each other. Their battle was interrupted however, by the sound of helicopter blades from above. A black helicopter hovered in the air above Kamijo. From the door of the helicopter, a step ladder came out. A person wearing all black and a ski mask quickly climbed down and grabbed Kamijo by the waist, holding onto him as the ladder recoiled back up to the helicopter. Kamijo attempted to scream for help, but was quickly gagged by the person who had grabbed him.

"We'll be borrowing Kami for a while! Thanks a million!" A voice shouted down through an amplifier from inside the helicopter as the helicopter flew away.

"Toma!"

"Kamijo!"

 **To be continued...**

* * *

 **Kamijo: I've been kidnapped by some people in a helicopter, and in order to rescue me, Index and Misaka join forces**

 **Kamijo: Meanwhile, at the same time, I'm assigned a mission as well, dealing with an issue in the school garden**

 **Kamijo: Fierce battles are fought in two different places, but for similar reasons**

 **Kamijo: Next time, "Rescue Ops: Girls' Force", when science and magic cross paths, a story is born**


	13. Episode 13: Rescue Ops: Girls' Force

**Me: Time to respond to some reviews**

 **Guest: Sorry about a lack of responses last chapter, but I usually will just reply to questions. Also, I hope this longer chapter will make up for the last chapter being shorter**

* * *

"Toma!"

"Kamijo!"

Index and Mikoto called respectively as the helicopter above flew off, Kamijo inside.

"This is all your fault Short Hair!" Index told Mikoto.

"Oh yeah? How so?" Mikoto asked.

"Because you came and started arguing with me, the bad people came and took Toma while I was distracted!" Index said.

"You're the one who started the whole argument in the first place!" Mikoto objected.

"Hmph!" Each of the girls turned their backs to each other with a huff.

"What's wrong Index?" A voice came from behind Index.

"Oh, it's you Himegami. Some bad guys came and took Toma in a helicopter." Index explained.

'Where did she come from?!' Mikoto asked herself.

"Unforgiveable." Himegami had a slight scowl on her face.

"I'll rescue him." Mikoto told the two other girls.

"As if I'd trust you alone!" Index responded. "Me and Himegami will come too!"

"Come where? Asks Misaka, confused as to what the girl is referring to." Spoke Misaka from next to Mikoto.

'How do people keep sneaking up on me?' Mikoto wondered.

"Oh, it's you. 10032, right?" Index asked for clarification.

"Indeed, I am Misaka serial number 10032, says Misaka, impressed at the girl's ability to distinguish Misaka from the other Misakas."

"It's the necklace."

"So where are you going? Misaka questions the original."

"That idiot Kamijo got himself kidnapped, so now we're going to go get him back." Mikoto answered.

"In that case, allow Misaka to assist, Misaka requests, hoping to take this chance to see the spiky-haired boy again."

"Hmph. Fine. We could use your help, since we're not exactly sure where they took him."

"They took him in a black helicopter, that's a clue right?" Index asked.

"Yeah it would be, if not for the fact that there's tons of helicopters in Academy City. And I didn't get a very good look at it either." Mikoto responded.

"I didn't get a great look at it either, but I remember everything I saw." Index told the group.

At that moment, a small girl holding a bag of groceries walked up to them. "Oh it's the sister. And Himegami." Tsukuyomi Komoe said aloud as she walked up to the group. "What's wrong? You all seem so distressed." Komoe pointed out.

"Toma's been captured!" Index told her.

"W-w-what?! Kamijo's been captured? What happened?"

"Don't worry about it, okay? You don't need to get involved." Mikoto said.

"What do you mean, I don't need to get involved? When one of _my_ precious students is in danger, it's my duty as a teacher to make sure they get out of it okay!" Komoe protested.

"What? You're a teacher? No way! But you look so young." Mikoto said skeptically.

"I assure you I am a teacher-

"We don't have time for this! We have to find Toma!" Index interrupted, popping up between the two of them.

"Misaka concurs, says Misaka, in an attempt to get to rescuing the boy as soon as possible."

"So what exactly happened?" Komoe asked Index.

"Toma got taken away by a black helicopter!"

"What?! Poor Kamijo." Komoe said, a sad look on her face as she imagined her favorite student being taken against his will. "Do you remember what the helicopter looked like?" Komoe asked.

"Yes." Index answered, proceeding to explain what she saw of the helicopter in full detail.

Komoe pulled out a miniature laptop from her pocket and began typing in the information Index gave her. "There. I should be able to cross-search the helicopter with the listed helicopters in Academy City's database, and from there I should be able to figure out where we can find it." Komoe explained. "Huh? That's weird, I can't get access to the information on this helicopter."

"I can hack into it for you." Mikoto offered.

"There's no need. I just have to enter my friend's Anti-Skill identification number and... there we go! Okay, we should be able to find the helicopter that Kamijo was taken in at an airplane hanger in school district 11." Komoe told the group.

Himegami and 10032 nodded their heads, while Mikoto and Index pumped themselves up, looking like they were about to head into battle.

"I would like to tell you stay back and let the adults handle this, but I know you won't listen, so I'll allow you to come only if you heed my orders, all right?" Komoe told the group.

"Yes."

"Affirmative, says Misaka, agreeing with the small woman's demands."

"All right."

"Let's go save Toma!"

* * *

The bag was removed from Toma Kamijo's head, allowing him to see once again. The bag had been placed on his head as soon as he was aboard the helicopter, meaning he had no idea where he was, or who had captured him.

"Where am I?" He asked, a little groggily.

"You're finally awake Kami." A cocky grin awaited Kamijo's gaze as he looked up.

"Tsuchimikado?!" Kamijo exclaimed in not so much surprise, as much indignation. "I can't believe you! You seriously went and kidnapped me?! Why?" Kamijo complained comically.

"Look, I'm sorry to interrupt your little date, but I've got a mission for you, and I figured you wouldn't want to miss it." Tsuchimikado explained.

Kamijo's face immediately turned serious. "Magicians?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"This issue actually deals with the science side, which I suppose you haven't had to deal with too much. You see, a group over at the school garden has made quite the ruckus and we need you to resolve it."

"What's the problem?"

"Have you heard about Tokiwadai Middle School's trial run at being a co-ed school?" Tsuchimikado asked.

"No, but I do remember Etrig saying something about how he was attending Tokiwadai."

"Well, it has become co-ed, and as you can imagine, some of those precious rich girl types aren't so happy about guys all of a sudden attending their school. There's even a radical group of them that have captured two of the male students, and are threatening to kill them if the co-ed trial run isn't abolished. Naturally, they aren't really going to kill them, but we have evidence they have already severely tortured them. And that's where you come in Kami."

"Do you really need me for this?" Kamijo questioned.

"Well as it so happens, Anti-Skill and Judgment are both a little busy at the moment, and the normal groups that would normally handle this situation have their hands full at the moment. And so, having you take of this is the most cost-efficient method." Tsuchimikado explained.

"Sigh. In that case, what do I need to know?"

"From what we've gathered, the boys are being held at a specific location, with over 20 people guarding them both. They're all from Tokiwadai, meaning they're all a minimum of level 3, so it definitely won't be an easy fight. However, only three have abilities that are truly suited to an all out brawl. One of them has an ability that greatly enhances muscle strength." Tsuchimikado pulled out a tablet and showed Kamijo a picture of what the girl looked like. "The other two are their ringleaders, one has a very powerful level 4 ice ability, and one has a very powerful level 4 fire ability. I'd go into more detail, but it'd just be over your head." Tsuchimikado showed Kamijo two more pictures of two girls, one with light blue hair and eyes, and the other with orange eyes and hair.

"Okay. And where is this location?" Kamijo asked.

"Don't worry about that quite yet, I'll text the location to your phone and if you need help I'll give it to you. But for right now, here's what the guys you're rescuing look like." Tsuchimikado showed a picture of a guy with dark skin, a purple ponytail, and blue eyes. He was well built and had a friendly expression on his face. "His name is Nakusa Nakami. As for the other one," Tsuchimikado pressed the screen on his tablet a few times before pulling up another picture and showing it to Kamijo. The boy in this picture was much smaller, he had a short, light brown bowl cut, dark blue eyes, and he was looking away from the camera. "His name is Sei Koisuke."

"Alright then. Is that all I need to know?" Kamijo was sick of waiting, he needed to go out and save those people.

"If I told you anything else, I doubt it'd register. So get out of here Kami, I'll text you the location." With these words, Kamijo flew out of the door to the abandoned airplane hanger they were in.

Tsuchimikado smirked. "Little do you know Kami... we're just distracting you from the real fun here."

* * *

"Here we are." Komoe told the group of five as they stood outside the airplane hanger. "This is where the helicopter that took Kamijo should be." Komoe told them.

"Steel yourselves." Himegami declared.

"Why did they take Toma?" Index wondered.

"A little late for that now Silver Sister!" Mikoto snapped.

"Let us enter, says Misaka, prepping for battle." True to her word, Misaka 10032 cocked her gun in preparation.

"Th-that gun won't be necessary." Komoe told her. "It'd be better to avoid conflict, especially violence."

"Let's go already!" And with that, Index ran in, the rest of the group running to catch up.

* * *

"This place is dark and scary. I wonder what they're doing to Toma." Index worried.

"Look out!" Mikoto cried.

"Huh?" Index turned forwards towards where Mikoto was looking, only to see a fireball right in front of her face. "Aaaaaaah!" Index screamed, closing her eyes. "Huh?" Index opened her eyes to see the fireball was no longer there, and instead was being pierced by one of Himegami's Rose Blades. "Thanks Himegami!"

"No problem. But please be more careful."

"Hahahahahahahah!" A very unconvincing evil laugh came from the furthest depth of the shadows and out from those shadows walked the same person dress in black from before. "So you managed to defend against my first attack. However that attack was just a warning shot. Let's see how you fare against me when I go all-out!" Flames arose around the man and rushed at the group in waves of fire.

Mikoto was about to fire her railgun when she was interrupted.

"Stop. Misaka does not think our powers are best suited for this fight. Sparking the already heated gas in the air could lead to a fatal explosion, Misaka explains the situation."

"Yeah, you're right. Then what do we do about the giant wave of fire coming towards us?!" Mikoto questioned.

"Worry not." Himegami told her, sliding to the front of the group. Himegami's three blades moved in front of her and starting spinning slowly. The blades moved faster and faster until they created a huge wind gust that dispelled the waves of fire right before they reached Himegami.

"Let's try this!" The shadowy figure cried, gathering blue fireballs around both of his hands. The blue flames shot at the group of girls, two fireballs aimed at each of them. Mikoto used her magnetism to move an airplane wing in front of her. The two fireballs aimed at her each bounced off the wing harmlessly, falling to the ground and disintegrating. Komoe ducked, one of the fireballs flying over her head. The other fireball came at her while she was still holding her low position. Komoe pulled a small container that looked like a can of bug spray from her pocket and gave it a shake before spraying it at the fireball, putting it out. The second fireball came at a rising Komoe from behind. Komoe ducked again and sprayed the fireball as it passed her.

Komoe smiled. "My special carbon dioxide mix spray will put out any fire instantly."

Misaka 10032 tried to shoot the fireballs with her rifle, but the rubber bullets just went through the fireball. "As expected, says Misaka, analyzing the results." Misaka started producing sparks. The flames came in towards 10032, speeding up as they went. The fireballs dissipated right before they hit 10032's face. "By breaking apart the oxygen in the immediate area, Misaka can kill any flame created, Misaka pointlessly explains her tactic as she coughs sanitarily into her sleeve." Two of Himegami's blades ceased circling around her head and flew off, stabbing the flames, causing them to disappear.

Index... ran around in circles until Himegami's third blade pierced both of the fireballs pursuing her.

"Can't you pull your weight?" Mikoto asked.

"My specialty is magicians, not espers!" Index answered, pouting.

"Enough!" The shadowy figure interrupted. "Try this on for size!" The figure motioned his hand forward for another attack, but was cut short by an orange light shooting past him, causing a huge explosion.

"You, 'enough'!" Mikoto countered, her fingers outstretched as she had just fired her railgun. Mikoto gave her hair a flip. "I'm getting tired of this, so I'll wrap this up." Electricity started to build up around her, and just as she was about to fire a bolt at her opponent, an avalanche of large rocks appeared from nowhere and crushed her.

"Oh no!" Komoe called in worry.

"Short Hair!"

Himegami frowned.

"Big sister, Misaka calls in worry."

* * *

Kamijo ran through the gates of the school garden, the women guarding the gate yelling for him to stop.

"Sorry about this, but I've got something important to do!" Kamijo called back to the women. Kamijo would've stopped to explain the situation, but Tsuchimikado had warned him that he didn't have much time. 'Let's see, the first stop.' Kamijo looked up at the sign designating what street he was on. 'Okay... a left!' Kamijo took a sharp left, hoping the women from before weren't still chasing him. 'Next up, another left!'

Several blocks later, Kamijo stopped at a fairly large sweets shop. "This is where Tsuchimikado said I could find them."

 _Flashback~_

 _"When you get there, it'll look like an ordinary sweets shop." Tsuchimikado spoke over the phone as Kamijo ran in the direction of the School Garden. "But, our targets are being held on the second floor, which customers aren't allowed in."_

 _"Then how do I rescue them?" Kamijo asked._

 _"Think Kami, how do you think the girls got in?"_

 _"Hmm... a secret entrance?"_

 _"Exactly. Go around the back and you'll find a ladder. Climb up that and sneak into the ventilation duct. There's only one exit on the entire floor for the duct, so you won't have to worry about getting lost."_

 _"Got it."_

Kamijo walked around the back of store, and like Tsuchimikado said, he found a ladder. "This must be it." Kamijo climbed up the ladder until he reached the ventilation duct. Kamijo jumped off the ladder, kicking in the vent like in those spy movies.

"Ow, my foot! I think I stubbed a toe, rotten luck!" Kamijo complained as he crawled into the air duct. "Let's see. Do I go right or left? Right!"

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Kamijo finally arrived at his destination. "Darn it Tsuchimikado!" Kamijo muttered under his breath. "You said I wouldn't get lost and then you didn't even bother giving me directions for when I got in the ducts, and now look where you got me! I just hope I'm not too late." Kamijo looked down through the bars into the room below. From what he could see, the room was quite large and spacious. 'Worse case scenario, it shouldn't be _too_ difficult to fight in there.' In the supposed center of the room, he could see the two boys he was seeking to save tied up in chairs, back to back. They each had rope tied around them completely, binding their arms and legs, along with gags on their mouths. "That's terrible. That's it, I can't wait any longer." Kamijo removed the vent, placing it beside him before jumping down and landing with a thud on the ground.

As the dozens of girls in the room heard the sound, mutters of "what's happening?" and "have we been found?" came from the girls.

"Don't worry Nakami, Koisuke." Kamijo addressed the two boys by name for additional security. "I am here, and I'm going to save you!" Kamijo declared dramatically.

* * *

The other girls all gasped as Mikoto was buried by a heap of giant rocks. Had she survived? Was she... gone?

"Hahahahahah!" The shadowy figure laughed his unconvincing evil laugh again. "Now then, who will be the next to go?"

"What could his esper ability possibly be?" Komoe pondered. "At first I figured it was some sort of pyrokinetic ability, but all of a sudden he summoned those rocks."

"Aaaaargh!" A scream could be heard as the pile of rocks flew into the air, every single rock being broken into smaller rocks by huge lightning strikes. Mikoto emerged from the pile of rocks and slowly made her way towards the rest of the group. "I think I figured out what idiot is behind this." She said to herself. "Hey you guys!" Mikoto called to the rest of the group. "We know he's not working alone, so you guys go on ahead to the back of the hanger. I'm going to stay behind and take care of this guy." Mikoto smirked as large bolts of lightning sparked around her.

"Okay!" Index answered, running past the shadowy figure, despite his objections.

"Wait up." Himegami spoke with an unnoticeable tone of urgency in her voice. Himegami manipulated one of her blades beneath her feet and rode it after Index.

"Misaka trusts big sister with this task... just make sure not to blow us all up, finishes Misaka, taunting big sister."

Mikoto smiled. "I won't." 10032 ran off, leaving only Mikoto and Komoe.

"Even though you're the level 5 railgun, ordinarily I'd insist that I stay and watch over you." Komoe told Mikoto. "However, I can tell that you wouldn't allow me to even if I tried. So! Make sure that neither of you are seriously injured, or else I'll have to report this incident to Tokiwadai Middle School student management, got that?"

Mikoto shuddered at what she imagined her dorm mother might do if she found out about this and nodded her head.

"Good. I'll leave you with that." Komoe ran off after the other girls.

"So what will you do now 'Railgun'?" The shadowy figure asked after Komoe was gone.

"Oh knock it off, Etrig." Mikoto told the boy. "Take off your costume so I can actually take you serious in our conversation." The shadowy figure removed his black clothes to reveal Etrig in green shorts and a green shirt.

"Hey Sissy. Nice to see you. Although I suppose you didn't come for me, you came to rescue Kamijo, right?" Etrig questioned.

"I-I guess. It's only natural that I was worried about him after you made like you were kidnapping him. However... seeing as it was you, I imagine he's not in any danger and you guys are just playing a stupid practical joke or something."

Etrig took a step back, amazed at how accurate Mikoto's guess was. "Heh... heh. Yeah you got me, although Kamijo wasn't involved at all. In fact, he's not here at all."

"What?! Where is he?"

"He's off with some other girls, being the handsome knight in shining armor again." Etrig chuckled.

"Where _exactly_ is he?" Mikoto asked.

"Don't worry. I'm sure he'll turn up soon, probably in the hospital." Etrig answered.

"How can you call yourself his friend if you're fine with him being in the hospital?"

"Don't worry, we sent Kami off on a relatively safe mission." Etrig explained in a carefree manner. "It's just that whenever he does anything, he ends up in the hospital, but he'll be just fine."

"Oh really? Is that so? Well good. You know, your little prank has seriously stressed me out." Mikoto spoke in a dark voice. "In fact, if you haven't noticed, I'm starting to release a dangerous amount of electricity subconsciously. I think I better take out my anger on something before I explode." Mikoto walked towards Etrig, the electricity surrounding her increasing by thousands of volts with each step.

"Uh, uh Sissy? We're friends right? Surely you won't take out your frustrations by electrocuting little ol' me right?" Etrig asked nervously, backing away and waving his hands in front of his face as defense.

"Yeah, we're friends. So _surely_ you won't mind helping me with a little 'stress relief' right?" Mikoto put her left hand on Etrig's left shoulder, eyes closed with a dangerous smile on her face.

"A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Etrig's cries of pain could be heard for miles.

"And that's for burying me in rocks." Mikoto said as she wiped her hands against each other.

* * *

"I am here, and I'm going to save you!" Kamijo declared, raising a fist towards the boys.

"Who are you? And why are you here?" A girl with long brown hair asked.

"The name's Toma Kamijo, and I'm here to save those boys." With his dramatic introduction Kamijo gripped his fist even tighter. "Now let them go, and we can all leave here in peace."

"Another boy." A different girl sneered in disgust. "There's no way he's allowed in the school garden, he's not even wearing the Tokiwadiai uniform. Let's get him!" With that cry, three girls all ran at Kamijo at once. Judging from the different colored belts they wore, Kamijo assumed they took martial arts. One girl threw a huge punch at his right arm, while another girl kicked at his left leg. Kamijo jumped back to avoid the punch, then catching the second girl's leg, causing her to squeal. Kamijo threw the girl aside into the arms of the other two girls before running at them, his fist reared back. Kamijo threw his punch at the third girl, but she dropped the girl she was holding and caught the punch with her own right hand.

'Guess it's time for me to do what Etrig suggested at our last "life coaching session".' Kamijo threw his left fist into the girl's face, leaving her unconscious, and when the other two girls attempted to flank him, he jumped up and spun around, landing a helicopter kick in both of the girls' faces, knocking them both to the ground.

'Ow, that's hard to do. I think I pulled a hammy.' Kamijo looked around for the two boys, hoping to avoid more fighting by untying them both and leaving. But before he could locate them, a punch was thrown at his head from behind. Kamijo instinctively moved his head to the left, causing the punch to miss and hit the ground.

Just as Kamijo couldn't help but notice the small crater made in the attic floor by the punch, he also couldn't help but notice the appearance of the girl who had thrown that punch. She was tall, taller than Stiyl, and with a black braided ponytail. She had red eyes, and Kamijo recognized her in an instant as the girl who could manipulate her muscle strength. Kamijo turned and threw a left hook at her stomach which bounced off harmlessly. Kamijo pulled his hand back, shaking it in pain.

"I recommend you leave now." The girl warned Kamijo.

"Sorry, but I have a very important reason for being here. I'm here to save those boys, I won't let you hurt them!" Kamijo answered defiantly. The girl threw a left elbow at him, which he caught with his right hand. A shrieking sound that gave one the image of shattering glass was heard as Imagine Breaker activated. 'Ow.' Kamijo thought. 'I'm sure Imagine Breaker negated her esper ability, meaning that she's really strong even without it.'

"You shouldn't be able to catch that." The girl said, slightly confused. The girl pulled back her left arm and threw a monster punch at Kamijo. Kamijo caught the punch again, Imagine Breaker activating. Kamijo then threw the girl's arm to the side, before punching the girl in the stomach. Then, with his right arm still lodged in the girl's stomach, Kamijo raised up his left leg and reared it back. Kamijo thrust his knee into the girl's gut with extreme velocity, causing the girl to fall to the ground with a loud thud, causing the customers downstairs to complain. They all got a free cookie.

"Now then," Kamijo looked to the remaining group of girls as he walked towards Nakami and Koisuke. "I'd like to take those guys and get out of here, so is there anyone else who wants to get in my way?" Kamijo asked, causing the remaining girls to scatter until two voices cut through the panic.

"Very well." A calm voice said.

"We will." An excited voice said. Walking up to Kamijo were two girls, each one a ringleader. One with light blue eyes and hair, the other with orange hair and eyes.

"If you want to storm in and attack us in our home, the School Garden." The first voice spoke.

"Then we'll gladly show you the worst beating of your life." The second voice spoke. Both girls smirked.

* * *

Index, Himegami, 10032 and Komoe all ran into a small office space in the back of the airplane hanger.

"Hey guys. I'm glad you could make it." Tsuchimikado greeted the group as they entered. He was sitting at a desk, doing his homework at the last moment. "If you're looking for Kami, I'm afraid he's not in at the moment."

"Tsuchimikado?!" Komoe exclaimed. "W-were you the one who kidnapped Kamijo?! No way. You'd never do that, right?" Komoe asked with a tear in her eye.

"Of course not. I just borrowed him for a little bit. He's off doing his own thing now." Tsuchimikado answered.

"Where is he?" Index asked.

"Right now? Probably somewhere in the School District Seven's School Garden."

"Why is he there?" Komoe asked.

"Don't worry teach, he won't be there long. He should be contacting me soon, so if you're all worried about him, why don't you wait with me?"

Komoe, Index and Himegami all nodded their heads in agreement. "And while we wait, you can fill us all in on just what Kamijo's doing." Komoe instructed Tsuchimikado.

"How would I know?" Tsuchimikado asked.

"Well, I could make this an extra credit assignment." Komoe suggested.

"Okay, I'll tell you!" Tsuchimikado answered, standing up with a excited grin on his face.

"Where did 10032 go?" Index asked.

"I don't know." Himegami answered.

"She didn't get lost, did she?" Komoe fretted.

* * *

"Nice to meet you, I'm Sena." The girl with the long orange hair and orange eyes spoke in a calm voice.

"Not nice to meet you, though I appreciate a chance for a good fight. Name's Vena." The girl with spiky light blue hair and light blue eyes said with a hint of excitement in her voice.

"I'm not here to fight." Kamijo started. "I just want to get those guys out of here, and then we'll all be cool, got it?"

"Before we agree to that, do you know why those boys are tied up in the first place?" Sena asked, pointing towards the two boys, who were now the only ones who hadn't scattered to either side of the room.

"No?" Vena asked when Kamijo replied with silence. "Well I'll make it short. It's like this: Tokiwadai is allowing a test group of male students on a trial basis _only._ If events like this suggest that male students cannot coexist with the elegant ladies of Tokiwadai, then the result will be that Tokiwadai remains an all-girls school."

"If you have a problem with the trial run that your school's conducting, then just bring it up with the school board or whatever. There's no reason to resort to violence or kidnap these poor guys."

"Naturally, this was our first course of action as a student body. However, the administration just told us to deal with it because it's 'just a trial run' and might not be permanent." Sena answered.

"But you see, we don't want boys here at all." Vena explained. "The School Garden is a sacred place of learning, one not meant to tainted by boys."

"Have you tried actually giving it a shot?" Kamijo asked.

"It's been a week!" Vena replied.

"I'm not asking about time. I'm asking, 'Have you really _tried_ making it work?' Maybe boys aren't as bad as you thought if you just get to know them. At the very least, there's definitely better ways to express your contempt than violence and kidnapping."

"I've been meaning to ask, but, where did you get the idea we've been using violence?" Sena asked. "Beyond when you showed up and our friends had a very immature reaction, we haven't used violence whatsoever."

"Huh? But I thought you tortured them."

"Torture?!" Vena asked indignantly. "Hah-hah! Do you hear him Sena? Torture!" Vena laughed hard for the next few seconds before regaining her composure. "Of course we wouldn't do that, we're sophisticated, thank you. We just invited them here and then tied them up. Where did you get the idea we used torture?"

"Oh..." 'Tsuchimikado!' Kamijo curled his right hand in and out of a fist. "But that doesn't change the fact that you've kidnapped them and that's not okay!"

"Hmm... I agree. It's not very becoming of us to protest in such an ungraceful way." Sena agreed.

"Yeah... I suppose. Thinking about it, it's pretty embarrassing. How 'bout this? We fight; if you win, we'll let them go, no questions asked. We win, then they stay until Tokiwadai responds to our demands. Got that?"

"Hmm..." 'I'd like to argue this, but I doubt I can get them to agree to just let them go, so I guess I have to accept.' "Fine, I agree!" Kamijo declared. "But we can't fight her-

Kamijo was interrupted by a road of ice flying towards him from Sena's hand. Kamijo raised his right hand to block the attack, destroying the ice as a shrieking sound that gave the image of shattered glass could be heard.

"Hah!" Vena jumped in the air and threw a punch as she descended. Kamijo rolled out of the way to his right as Vena's fist hit the floor, causing the wooden tile to spontaneously combust into flames. Sena shot a road of ice from her hand that put out the flames, but all that remained from the wooden tile was a pile of ashes.

"This won't work. We might damage the building if you keep using your ability." Sena said.

"Yeah, you're right." Vena said begrudgingly. "I'll just have to fight without it." Vena ran straight at Kamijo, catching him off-guard. She skidded to a stop right in front of Kamijo and performed a sweep kick that Kamijo barely avoided by jumping above it. However, due to the low ceiling in the attic, Kamijo hit his head on the ceiling, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Ow." Kamijo groaned as he rubbed his head. He didn't stay on the ground for long, however, as Sena fired a road of ice from her foot towards him. Kamijo stood up and punched the road of ice with his right hand, causing it to disappear.

"How did he do that?" Vena questioned under her breath. "It didn't look like he melted the ice." Vena ran towards Kamijo and threw another punch, which he dodged by leaping back slightly. As he landed, Sena shot a road of ice at him from her left hand. Kamijo turned his body as he landed and blocked the attack with his right hand. Just then, he felt a sharp impact in his side as Vena landed a vicious flying kick in his stomach. Kamijo fell and rolled backwards from the impact, landing in front of the two captives. As Kamijo lifted his hand to get back up he grabbed the ropes around Nakami, causing the trademark sound of the Imagine Breaker to be heard.

"Huh?" Kamijo sounded.

"Argh!" Nakami ripped the ropes around him with his arms and then took off his gag before proceeding to start untying Koisuke. "I don't know what you did, but thanks a lot." He said in a gruff, friendly voice.

"How did he break those ropes?!" Vena questioned. "They were reinforced with one of our girls' ability!"

"Are you guys okay?" Kamijo asked.

"Minus a little suffocation, we're fine." Nakami answered as Koisuke nodded. "Thanks for coming to rescue us. Those chicks are crazy, man!"

"Just doing my job. Now, you guys head down the stairs and get out of here, I'll hold off any girls that try to chase you." Kamijo ordered.

"All right." Nakami ran down the stairs with Koisuke close behind.

"Tsk. You just had to ruin everything didn't you?" Vena asked.

"It is fine. It was a regrettable decision to kidnap them in the first place." Sena told her.

"Maybe so, but _don't_ think you're getting away so easily what's your-name."

"The name's Toma Kamijo, and now that those two are safe, I'll be seeing you." Kamijo quickly ran down the stairs and into the main area of the store. As he ran out, the clerk told him to stop, but Kamijo didn't listen, as he wanted to avoid fighting those two girls any longer.

"I'm glad I saved those guys," Kamijo spoke as he ran through the School Garden, "but now I have to get out of here without any trouble." Kamijo kept running straight to the gate. As he neared the gate he noticed several female officers guarding the gate.

"Hey, stop! What are you doing in here?" One woman asked him as he ran to the gate.

"Uh-oh! This isn't good. Guess I'll just have to explain." Kamijo decided. But before he reached the woman, one of the other women stepped in front of her and seemingly asked her a question. "What's going on?"

"Hurry up and go Kamijo!" The woman called to Kamijo. Kamijo chose to obey the woman and ran past her through the gate, noticing a shiny, black spearhead in her back pants pocket as he ran past her.

'Why does she have that?'

* * *

Kamijo panted as he took a break to catch his breath next to a random bus stop quite some way from the School Garden. "I really hope they're safe now."

"No need to worry abut that." A voice came from behind him.

Kamijo turned around to see a girl with red hair tied in long ponytails, who, instead of wearing her uniform normally, wore it in a cape-like fashion, and wore only bandages around her chest as a shirt. "Who are you?"

"That's none of your business. I will tell you, however, that those two boys you worked so hard to save have almost made it all the way back to Tokiwadai dormitories safely. So don't worry there." The girl said before walking away.

"Well... I'm glad that they're safe. Now I guess it's time for me to head home." At that moment, Kamijo's phone rang. "Hello. Who is it?" Kamijo asked as he picked up his phone.

"Hey Kami. How are you?" A familiar, sly voice spoke through the phone.

"I'm fine. I've completed the mission Tsuchimikado."

"Oh really? Good work."

"Tell me something. Those boys were never in any real danger, were they Tsuchimikado?"

"Nope. Now head back to the hanger, you've got a band of girls wait for you."

"Tsuchimika-

Kamijo was interrupted by Tsuchimikado hanging up. "Well... guess I better find my way back to the hanger."

"Do you require assistance? Asks Misaka." Misaka 10032's voice came from the side of Kamijo.

"Oh it's you Misaka. Actually yeah, I could use some help, thanks. Hey wait, do you even know where the hanger I need to get to is?" Kamijo questioned.

"Yes, replies Misaka simply." Misaka walked to Kamijo's side and wrapped her arms around his right arm. "Follow me, Misaka instructs."

"What? Hey, wait!" Kamijo cried out as Misaka dragged him along lightly.

* * *

"There you are Toma!" Were the first words Kamijo heard upon entering the airplane hanger with 10032. He looked up to see his teacher, three girls, and Tsuchimikado all staring at him.

"What are you doing to my sister?!" Mikoto questioned angrily, a deep red blush on her face.

"I-I'm not doing anything!" Kamijo denied, waving his arms frantically in front of his face. 10032 frowned slightly, as Kamijo had removed his arm from hers.

"There you are Kamijo! I was so worried about you!" Ms. Komoe spoke, looking up at Kamijo with teary eyes.

"Ms. Komoe? What are you doing here? As a matter of fact, what are _all_ of you doing here? You too Himegami." Kamijo asked.

"Well Kami-

"I don't want to hear it from you, you liar!" Kamijo interrupted Tsuchimikado.

"When you were kidnapped Toma, me and Short Hair were going to rescue you, but then Himegami and Short Hair's sister and Ms. Komoe all showed up. We worked together to track you down and came here to rescue you. And then we found Tsuchimikado here, who explained the situation to us." Index explained.

"You went and tried to help others, and that's very kind of you Kamijo. But you should've let us all know you were safe." Komoe scolded.

"We were worried." Himegami added.

"You guys all worked together to try and rescue me? Wow, thanks a lot guys. But you don't have to worry, I'm okay. I really appreciate your concern. " Kamijo thanked kindly with a gentle smile on his face, causing Index, Mikoto, Himegami, and Komoe to blush, each for their own personal reasons. "You too, 10032." Kamijo added as he turned towards her, causing her to smile slightly.

After that, they each went their separate ways, with only Etrig being left behind, completely fried.

* * *

 **Kamijo: Hyoka Kazakiri makes another appearance, and this time, Etrig has a present for her**

 **Kamijo: Accelerator and the crew get into a battle of wits**

 **Kamijo: Etrig receives a call, handing down orders regarding Skill-Out**

 **Kamijo: Next time, "Skill-Out Resurfaces", when Science and Magic cross paths, a story is born.**


	14. Episode 14: Skill-Out Resurfaces

"What do you want for breakfast Index?" Kamijo asked Index. It was a little past 9:00 in the morning, and Kamijo was preparing to make breakfast for the both of them.

"Hmm... I want scrambled eggs and bacon!" Index declared with sparkles in her eyes.

"All right, I'll get started." Kamijo said as he headed to the stove. At that moment, the doorbell rang, and Index ran to answer it.

"Hey, it's Hyoka!" Index exclaimed.

"Wait, Kazakiri?" Kamijo questioned, the frying pan in his hand nearly slipping off the stove.

"Come on in Hyoka!" Index told Hyoka, inviting Kamijo and Index's friend- a being made of AIM diffusion fields- into their home.

"How are you Index?" The bespectacled girl asked shyly.

"I'm great! How have you been?"

"I've been, well, you know, I haven't been able to come back here since that incident." Hyoka responded.

"Oh yeah. Well, since you're here, want to have breakfast will me and Toma?" Index questioned.

"Sure, wait, I-I mean, I-I wouldn't want to impose."

"Oh don't worry, it's fine." Kamijo told Hyoka as he set three plates on the floor in the living room. "I'm sorry we don't have a table or anything." Kamijo apologized as he sat down.

"I-It's okay. Thanks for having me guys. It's really nice to see you guys again." Hyoka said as she sat down. "So, what have guys been up to?" Hyoka asked as Index dug into the food.

"Oh yuh knoghw, deh same old, sa ol." Index said with her mouth full.

"Index, don't talk with your mouth open." Kamijo lectured.

"Sorry. As I was saying Hyoka, it's been the same old, we took Sphinx for a walk yesterday, and went to an arcade. Toma leaves me all alone to go to school a lot though." Index resumed.

"Oh really? I remember when we first met at Kamijo's school." Hyoka spoke fondly.

After that, Index, Kamijo, and Hyoka Kazakiri spoke of the memories they shared, and learned a bit more about each other's interests. Then, Index and Hyoka watched Magical Powered Kanamin while Kamijo cleaned the dishes. While he was cleaning, the doorbell rang, and Index ran to answer it.

"Toma, Etrig's here for your therapy session." Index told him.

"I told you, he's not a therapist, he's a kid playing pretend, I don't need therapy, ok?." Kamijo responded indignantly. "Let him in." Index opened the door and Etrig walked in.

"How are you Kami?" Etrig asked Kamijo immediately upon entering.

"I'm doing fine. Kazakiri, this our new friend Etrig." Kamijo told Hyoka cheerfully.

"Oh. Nice to meet you Etrig." Hyoka said with a bow.

"Nice to meet you too, Kazakiri." Etrig greeted with a wave. "And how are you doing?" Etrig questioned with a look towards Index.

"I'm good." Index responded.

"Now then, should we get started?" Kamijo asked as he walked towards his room.

"Actually, I'm here for something else today." Etrig turned towards Hyoka. "Hyoka Kazakiri, also known as, 'the key to the imaginary number school district five element agency.' I have a question for you."

"What is it?" Hyoka responded. 'And how does he know about the imaginary number school district?'

"I know you have an important job to do on the other side, but... what would you say if I told you that you could stay in this world?" Etrig questioned.

"Huh?"

"Normally, you can't interact with the people here, right? I'm asking; if you could stay here with Index and make new friends, would you want to stay in this world, or would you prefer the way things are?" Etrig asked.

"Why are you asking?" Kamijo questioned.

"So, what do you think Hyoka?" Etrig asked for the last time, ignoring Kamijo.

"I-I think I would... I'd want to... hmm..." Hyoka closed her eyes as she appeared deep in thought. "Yeah, there's no question, I'd definitely want to stay here! But, why do you ask?"

"Well, it just so happens that I can make that happen for you."

"Really?!" Kamijo and Index questioned.

"Yeah." Etrig answered. "The reason Hyoka here fazes in and out of this world is because her body is ethereal, made of AIM diffusion fields, it's meant to be in the imaginary number school district, or at least, that's how I understand it."

"So how do you plan to fix that?" Hyoka asked shyly.

"Oh that's simple. I can just use my ability to give you a new body."

"Huh?!" Everyone else in the room exclaimed.

"Well, it's not quite that simple. It's more like creating a thin-as-can-be suit of armor in the same exact appearance as your body Hyoka, get it?"

"Um... I think I get it. So it'll be just like my own body, but I'll be able to stay in this world, right?"

"Yep. As a matter of fact, this kills two birds with one stone, because with this physical body, you don't have to worry about Kami's hand destroying you." Etrig declared with a smile.

"We won't?!"

"Y-you know about that?" Kamijo and Hyoka questioned respectively.

"Yep."

Hyoka took a step back and whispered into Index's ear: "Etrig sure knows a lot, huh?"

"Yeah, but not about magic." Index replied.

"Can I trust him?"

"Yeah! He's a friend of me and Toma's, and he fed me!"

"So what? Want to go through with it?" Etrig questioned.

"Yes." Hyoka nodded her head, then took a step towards Etrig.

Etrig extended his hand in front of Hyoka's face. "Just be patient please. It'll take me a couple minutes to finish using my ability to construct your new body. But once it's done, you shouldn't have to worry about going back to the other place unwillingly ever again."

Everyone just stood watching in silence for a minute as Etrig's hand began to glow and the glow reached further and further towards Hyoka. "Um, guys? It's a bit awkward if you guys just stand there watching, so please, feel free to partake in discussion while I do this, it'd be a lot less embarrassing for me that way." Etrig chuckled sheepishly with his cheeks tinted slightly pink.

"O-oh okay. So, if I'll be in this world permanently, where will I be living?" Hyoka questioned.

"That's a good question. I didn't really think it through. Well, once you register for a school, you could live in the dorms there. Or maybe the Kirigaoka girl's school will have a place for you." Etrig suggested.

"Um, well, I'd... rather not go there." Hyoka told the group.

"Well in that case, you could register for a different school at the beginning of the next school year, to make it less suspicious than a middle-of-the year transfer, and I'm sure Kami and Index would be more than willing to let you live with them until then." Etrig proposed.

"Huh?" Hyoka blushed slightly.

"Huh?" Kamijo questioned dumbly with a blank look on his face.

"That'd be a great idea!" Index cheered. "It'd be like a super long sleepover! Wouldn't that be fun Hyoka?!"

"Yeah... yeah, that would be fun Index." Hyoka answered.

"What do you think Toma? Can she live with us? Can she, can she?" Index asked persistently.

Kamijo held his chin in thought. 'Can I afford that? Well, ignoring whether or not I can afford it, I'm pretty sure that no matter what I say, it is going to happen anyways, and saying no will just get me bitten. In that case...' "Sure Index. If it's okay with you Kazakiri?"

"Yeah. I think it'll be a good chance for me to get to know you guys even better." Hyoka answered.

"Not to mention, now Index will have someone to play with while I'm gone. Besides Sphinx, of course." Kamijo gave extra notice to the cat who was currently sleeping on the floor after eating his breakfast.

A bright light enveloped Hyoka for an instant, before disappearing, leaving everything the same as before. "There, I'm done."

"So...

"Yep. You now have a _complete_ physical body." Etrig gave an approving nod. "Hyoka, you're completely human, with or without this body, don't forget that." Etrig paused. "As if you could forget that with good friends like them around." Etrig smiled and gestured towards Kamijo and Index.

"He's right." Kamijo agreed.

"Hyoka's my friend, and that's what matters! Of course you're human!" Index seconded.

"Thanks... guys." Hyoka answered, tears welling up in her eyes. She wiped her tears with the sleeve of her uniform. Hyoka turned towards Etrig. "And thanks a lot to you, too, Etrig."

"No problem. Now then Kami, touch her." Etrig instructed. Kamijo and Hyoka both physically flinched at that comment. "Oops, sorry about that. I was just joking, I know that's a very scary thing for you, take it at your own pace, I shouldn't have said that." Etrig opened the door and walked out. "I look forward to seeing you all later, bye-bye!" Etrig waved cheerily and flashed a gigantic smile before running towards the Elevator.

"He's got a lot of energy, huh?" Hyoka pointed out.

"Yep." Kamijo agreed.

"So, what are we going to do about sleeping arrangements?" Hyoka asked. "From what I can see, there's only one bed in here."

"Oh that? Don't worry about it. You'll sleep with Index in the bed, there should be enough room for you both." Kamijo told Hyoka.

"But what about you?" Hyoka asked.

"I'll just sleep in the bathtub like I always do." Kamijo responded with a shrug of his shoulders.

"You sleep in the... bathtub? Index! You can't let him sleep in there, that can't be comfortable at all." Hyoka scolded.

"But Toma chose to sleep in there on his own, Hyoka." Index answered.

"But-

"It's fine." Kamijo interrupted. "Now then." Kamijo cleared his throat and began speaking loudly. "To commemorate Hyoka Kazakiri joining us in this happy household, let's play a game!" Kamijo declared, digging into his closet and pulling out a board game.

"Yay! Let's play Hyoka!" Index began bouncing with excitement.

"Sure, sounds like fun." Hyoka answered as she walked over to where Kamijo was setting up the game and sat down.

As they began playing, Sphinx woke up, yawned, and crawled over to join them, resting in Index's lap while they played.

* * *

"All right, bye guys. I'm heading out to school." Kamijo told Index and Hyoka. On most days, Index wouldn't be up at this time, but Hyoka had wanted to see Kamijo off before he left, since this would be the first day in their new routine.

"Index, remember to be good and listen to Kazakiri, okay?"

"Okay." Index pouted at being treated like a kid.

"Remember you two, no leaving the house unless it's an emergency, and if it is, call me, got that?"

"Yep." Hyoka and Index both responded affirmatively.

"Bye!" Kamijo waved as he left the house.

"Bye!" Index and Hyoka waved as Kamijo left for school.

"So Index, what should we do now?"

"Hmmm... let's play with Sphinx!" Index's face lit up as she came to that conclusion.

"Um, one problem. He's... sleeping, Index." Hyoka informed, pointing towards the sleeping cat.

"Awww!"

* * *

"Hey, Kami!" Tsuchimikado greeted Kamijo by the door of the classroom. Standing next to him were Aogami, Accelerator, and Last Order.

"What's up guys?" Kamijo questioned.

"You see, we all were thinking, and we decided to make a game of guessing whether or not Etrig's actually here today." Aogami explained.

" _I_ made no such game." Accelerator objected.

"Come on, Misaka thinks it'll be fun, pipes Misaka Misaka."

"Anyways, the game only works if we all get here after Etrig, which we happened to do today." Tsuchimikado further explained.

"Sounds stupid." Accelerator sneered.

"Oh? Sounds like the great Accelerator is scared that he's not smart enough to win this game." Aogami taunted.

"What are you, _chicken_? *Bawk! Bawk!*" Tsuchimikado and Aogami broke out into laughter.

"Urgh..." Accelerator curled his right hand into a fist.

"What's wrong? You're the great Accelerator, aren't you? Surely the number one esper in Academy City can beat _us_ at a game like this, can't he?" Kamijo questioned mockingly.

"That's it! Shut up, all of you! I'm smarter than you three idiots put together, and I'll prove it! Count me in!" Having the only one to beat him in a fight say that he could also beat him in a mental battle was the last straw for Accelerator.

"Hah. Sighs Misaka Misaka, disappointed in Accelerator's childishness, but happy he'll play all the same."

"So, what's your guess?" Accelerator questioned Kamijo.

"Uh... I'll say that he's here." Kamijo guessed.

"Misaka also thinks that he's here, says Misaka Misaka, hoping to use the 'willing into existence' phenomenon to her advantage."

"I'll say that he's not here."

"So will I." Aogami agreed with Tsuchimikado.

"Why do you say that? Asks Misaka Misaka."

"Because little lady, in a guessing game like this, someone with Kami's luck could never be right." Aogami explained.

"I know I have rotten luck, but you don't have to rub it in!" Kamijo exclaimed indignantly.

"So what do you say Accelerator?" Tsuchimikado questioned.

"I'll say... he's not here." Accelerator answered.

"Well, let's find out." Kamijo said, walking towards Etrig. "Hey Etrig, what's up?" Kamijo moved his hand to put it on Etrig's shoulder, but it just passed through. "Okay, that'll never stop being weird." Kamijo declared.

"Alright!"

"We won!" Tsuchimikado and Aogami celebrated.

"Won what?" Fukiyose Seiri questioned from behind them.

"Oh, just a little guessing game." Kamijo answered before either Tsuchimikado or Aogami could blurt Etrig's secret.

"Oh really? Just please, if you're playing a guessing game, why don't you play a guessing game that helps you study, why don't you?" Fukiyose questioned before leaving the group to their endeavors.

"Aw man, Misaka wanted to win, grumbles Misaka Misaka."

"Obviously, I'd win." Accelerator declared, sitting down in his desk.

"Still, I wonder where Etrig is today, and what's he's doing." Kamijo pondered.

* * *

It was after the end of the school day and Etrig was walking down the street when he got a phone call from an unlisted number.

"Hello? Who is it?" Etrig asked as he flipped his phone open and picked up the call.

"Hello there, Etrig. I'm sure you can guess why I've called." A voice that was young, yet old, feminine, yet masculine, evil, yet pure, spoke calmly through the phone.

"Oh? And what business do you have with me Aleister?" Etrig questioned innocently as he walked down the street.

"Well, as I'm sure you're aware, you still owe me a couple of favors. Oh, and you owe me one more now. What, with the recent inconvenience you've caused me."

"Huh? What inconvenience would that be?"

"It is in no way necessary for you to know of what I'm speaking, just be aware that's another favor you owe me." Aleister stated simply.

"Aw, you're so mean, Aleister."

"It's your own fault." Aleister retorted through the phone. "Now then, on to your mission. You know who Skill-Out are, I assume."

"Indeed I do." Etrig confirmed.

"Well, it would appear that the next target of their childish terrorist acts is the level 5 Mikoto Misaka. Seeing as you're already close to her, I figured you'd be the best choice to watch over her. As you no doubt understand, the level 5's are critical in my plans. And although it isn't incredibly difficult for me to replace them, that requires time, and _that_ is something I don't have much of to spare."

"Of course you don't. Don't worry, I'll take care of it, and that'll mark us closer to being even, right?" Etrig questioned.

"Of course. I thank you for your cooperation." With that, Aleister hung up.

Etrig put his phone in his pocket and smirked. "Tch, you say that like I have a choice." Etrig walked the rest of the way home thinking of how best to keep an eye on Mikoto without raising any suspicions.

* * *

"All right, let's guess again." Tsuchimikado told the group as they waited by the door to the class.

"I say he's here." Accelerator said.

"I agree." Kamijo spoke.

"Well then, I say he's not." Aogami chose.

"I agree." Tsuchimikado spoke up.

"Misaka thinks that Etrig _is_ here today, says Misaka Misaka, once again attempting to use the 'willing into existence' phenomenon to her advantage."

"Well, let's figure it out." Tsuchimikado told the group, walking towards Etrig, sitting at his desk in the corner.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Etrig asked, waving.

"Aw! Alright Kami, you, Accelerator, and Last Order win." Tsuchimikado admitted defeat.

"Win what?" Etrig questioned.

"We were playing a little guessing game about whether or not you'd be here." Aogami explained. "Me and Tsuchimikado guessed you wouldn't, the other three guessed you would."

"Excuse me?" Accelerator glared at Aogami with a look of menace on his face. "I did not _guess._ I came to a logical and correct conclusion through high-level data analysis and calculations." Accelerator explained.

"I just figured he'd be right, so I went with what he said." Kamijo said.

"Huh, that sounds like a fun game. I wish I could play, but I guess that's impossible huh?" Etrig said sadly.

"So Etrig, how did your ability level assessment go, questions Misaka Misaka curiously."

"Oh, that. I'd say it went pretty well, they bumped me up to level 4, although they did say I was on the low end of the spectrum." Etrig announced happily.

"Well, I suppose that's a more fitting rank for someone like you, kid." Was all Accelerator said as he sat down.

"Ignore him. That's just his way of saying good job." Tsuchimikado patted Etrig on the back.

"Thanks Tsuchimikado. But I understand, Accelerator just has a hard time being honest."

"What did you say?" Accelerator questioned aggregately. This caused everyone except Accelerator to laugh for a little bit before Ms. Komoe came in and started class.

* * *

"So yeah, I let Sissy and Kuroko know about my increase in rank yesterday." Etrig informed Kamijo on Thursday.

"Oh really, how'd they react?"

"Well..." Etrig pouted. "Miss Shirai seemed dismissive about the whole thing, but Sissy was proud of me. Wouldn't pat my head though." Etrig grumbled.

"Yeah, I can't imagine her doing that." Kamijo responded. All of a sudden, the door to the classroom flew open and Aogami marched in.

"Kami!" Aogami shouted from across the room. "I finally did it!"

"I told you, that when you did it, I did _not_ want to hear about it!" Kamijo responded angrily.

"Not that." Aogami told Kamijo as he walked up to him and Etrig. Tsuchimikado entered the room and walked over as well. "I finally got tickets for all three of us to go to Bekori Lusa's next concert." Aogami explained.

"Really?" Tsuchimikado questioned. "But aren't those super hard to get? And really expensive?"

"They are. But, there was a website that putting them up for sale at midnight last night, and I managed to snag three of them before they ran out. I didn't have enough money or time to get any more though, sorry guys." Aogami said, giving a look of pity to Etrig and Accelerator.

"I don't care. And don't you dare give me that look." Accelerator answered, ignoring Etrig's instructions and activating his reflection to reflect the sound vectors from his ears.

"So who's Bekori Lusa?" Kamijo questioned.

"You don't know?!" Aogami exclaimed in shock.

"We are ashamed of you Kami!" Tsuchimikado declared.

"She's a beautiful esper idol who's steadily been gaining popularity the last couple of months due to her cuteness and amazing voice." Aogami lectured. "I discovered one of her songs on the internet a month back, and I've been trying to get these tickets ever since."

"Huh. Guess I've been so busy, I just haven't heard of her." Kamijo reasoned. "Still, thanks a lot for getting us tickets Aogami. It'll be fun to go to a concert together."

"Yep, and you can pay for the food, Kami." Tsuchimikado proposed, Aogami nodding his head.

"What?! No way! We all know I have the least money out of all of us." Kamijo argued.

"Yeah, but you always pay, why should we change now?!" Aogami argument grew into a scuffle that threatened to draw the ire of the Iron-Wall, but Etrig convinced her to hold off, since the teacher would come and start class soon.

"Okay class, quiet down now, we're starting the school day now." The child-like voice of Tsukuyomi Komoe rang through the classroom, although three voices continued to disrupt her hold on the class's attention. "And anyone who doesn't stop talking at this instant will be staying after with me for a couple rounds of no-eyed poker." Ms. Komoe flashed a charming, yet dangerous smile.

"Y-yes Ms. Komoe!" The Delta Force all obeyed and sat in their desks quietly.

"Thank you. Now, let's start class everyone. Today, we're going to start studying for midterms." Komoe told the class, earning a collective groan.

"Don't worry everyone, I'll try my hardest to make it fun for you all." Komoe assured her students with a smile on her face.

"Thanks Ms. Komoe!" The class answered in unison.

* * *

Etrig walked through the hallways of Tokiwadai Middle School with the Ace of Tokiwadai herself, Mikoto Misaka.

"Do you want me to buy you a comic or something after school? That way, you don't have to just browse. You can read it in your dorm." Etrig offered.

"Thanks for the offer, but if I really want to read something in my dorm, I'll buy it with my own money." Mikoto denied politely.

"You know Sissy, the Ichihanaransai Festival is coming up, and I'm pretty excited, although, I'll admit it took me a long time to learn how to say the name." Etrig scratched his head sheepishly.

"I suppose it is coming up soon. I guess the school'll be announcing our team for the combat portion of the festival soon enough now."

"Combat portion?" Etrig questioned.

"Yeah, the combat portion. All the schools that choose to participate in the combat portion pick teams of 5 to compete in team battles against teams from other schools. Although, some schools use to allow homeroom classes to pick their own teams, in which case, the schools have their own qualifiers to pick what team represents them. Tokiwadai, however, chooses not to do that, in favor of putting together the best possible team to represent the entire school." Mikoto explained. "I wonder though..."

"Wonder what?" Etrig questioned.

"If there'll be any males on our team. I'd say from my own experiences battling you that you're powerful enough to make the team, but I haven't gotten enough chances to see the others guys at our school fight. Not to mention, I'm not sure if the administration realizes how skilled a fighter you are."

"Oh stop it, Sissy. You're making me blush." Etrig said in mock giddiness.

"I'm serious. Our school's pretty serious when it comes to winning events like this. Maybe I should put in a recommendation for you." Mikoto put her hand on her chin as she thought.

"Oh?" A dainty voice came from the balcony above them. "Has Misaka finally managed to find a boyfriend that will put up with her?" The same voice questioned.

"I know that voice." Mikoto spoke as she and Etrig looked up. Above them, leaning on the rail of a balcony, was a girl with long, honey gold hair, golden eyes, and literal yellow stars in each of her eyes. She wore white gloves and she carried an air of dignity, akin to a princess's, and she held a purse on her shoulder, the purse also adorned with a purple star on it.

"Sissy, who is this?" Etrig asked.

" _This_ is Misaki Shokuho, the 5th ranked esper in Academy City, and the other level 5 esper here at Tokiwadai Middle School. She may look sweet, but look out. With her ability, Mental Out, she can pretty much treat your brain as her plaything."

"Wow! That's awesome!" Etrig exclaimed with stars in his eyes. Etrig looked up. "Nice to meet you Miss Shokuho, I'm Etrig! Miss Shokuho, you're gonna be on the Tokiwadai combat team for the Ichihanaransai Festival, right?" Etrig questioned.

"Hmm? No, no I am not, I'm afraid. I'm not a big fan of violence, running, or anything else that involves getting sweaty." Misaki explained. "However, as the Ichihanaransai Festival grows closer, I'm sure you'll get the honor of working on _something_ with me." Misaki told Etrig reassuringly.

"Really? Great! I'm really, really, _really_ looking forward to working with you _soon_." Etrig replied with a smile on his face.

Misaki paused a second. "Yes. As am I. Farewell, it was nice meeting you." Misaki turned around and walked out of sight of Etrig and Mikoto. 'Now what exactly are you planning Etrig?'

"Are you okay Etrig? She didn't try to control you or anything, did she?" Mikoto asked worryingly.

"No, but I really appreciate your concern Sissy." Etrig replied smiling.

"I just don't want you to get coerced by that she-devil." Mikoto explained.

"Huh?" Etrig stared at Mikoto with a confused look on his face. 'She didn't seem that bad, what's Misaka so worried about?' "Man, the level fives really are amazing! I never knew about her!"

"Come on, let's get to class." Mikoto commanded, dragging Etrig by his hand.

"Ow, ow, ow! Sissy, be gentle!" Etrig complained as Mikoto dragged him through the hall.

* * *

"So it's a beautiful Sunday at the end of October, and you want to stay _inside_ all day, watching a Magical Powered Kanamin marathon." Kamijo double checked to make sure he had everything right.

"Yep. I want to get Hyoka caught up on the show, so she's ready to watch the newest episode when it airs." Index answered affirmatively.

"Sigh. All right then. I'm going outside to enjoy the weather while I don't need to wear a jacket. I left lunch for you guys in the fridge, just promise not to spend _all_ day inside." Kamijo pleaded.

"Okay Toma!"

"Sure Kamijo."

"Alright then, I'm off." Kamijo opened and shut the door, and walked off to enjoy the day.

* * *

"You know, something I've noticed is... I always end up in THIS PARK!" Kamijo screamed in frustration as he stared at Mikoto Misaka, who he generally liked to refer to as Zapper, marching towards him angrily. It wasn't like he had a problem with her, necessarily, she just always seemed to pick a fight with him whenever she saw him.

"What is it Misaka?" Kamijo asked as she came to skidding stop in front of him. He figured it wouldn't help his odds off getting out of here without a fight if he called her 'Zapper' now.

"N-nothing. It's just, I had a few extra cans of soda from the machine, and I figured I'd give them to you." Mikoto said with a very slight blush on her cheeks.

"I'd rather not accept the cans that you technically obtained illegally." Kamijo told her.

"Come on, don't be so stingy. I've explained it to you before, haven't I?"

"Yes, but knowing my rotten luck, this second time that you offer some to me would be the time the police or Judgment or someone decide to arrest you for this, and end up arresting me, too." Kamijo sighed.

"Fine. Just take one then." Mikoto told Kamijo, tossing him a can of green tea.

"Hah. Okay then, if you insist. Thanks Misaka."

"No problem Kamijo." Mikoto answered, looking in the opposite direction to hide the spot of red growing across her face.

"There you are Sissy!" Kuroko teleported in between Mikoto and Kamijo. "What are you doing with this troglodyte?"

"Come on Shirai, must you always be this rude, _every_ time we see each other?!" Kamijo questioned.

"I am _not_ rude, it's your fault for trying to take Sissy from me."

"I'm not taking anyone from anyone, I just happen to be talking to her at the moment." Kamijo responded.

Kuroko was about to further chastise Kamijo when the group heard a familiar voice coming from the direction of the vending machine. "Huh? Why isn't a drink coming out? Come on, I'm thirsty!"

"Great, it's the other troglodyte." Kuroko complained as she watched Etrig hit the machine lightly with his fist a couple of times. "Although Sissy, he is setting a good example for how you're _supposed_ to hit a vending machine."

"Why does everyone give me a hard time about that?!" Mikoto asked in frustration.

"Huh? Kami, Shirai, Sissy!" Etrig exclaimed as he looked in their direction. Etrig began to walk towards them, when all of a sudden, a horrible noise started playing. Kuroko, Mikoto, and Etrig all went down to their knees and covered their ears with their hands.

"Aah!" The three of them let out groans of pain.

"Huh? What's going on guys? Are you okay?!" Kamijo ran over to Kuroko to check on her first.

"Oh, would you look at that guys? We've got a level zero hanging out with the Railgun." A gruff, teenaged male's voice came from behind Kamijo's back. Kamijo turned around to see a group of at least a dozen male punks, all wearing jeans and leather jackets. Some had lead pipes, and others appeared to be wearing brass knuckles.

"Who are you?!" Kamijo asked.

"Can't you tell?" A man with a pink mohawk asked. He appeared to be the leader of the group. "We're Skill-Out."

"Skill-Out?!" Kuroko exclaimed. "Does that mean-

"Capacity Down? But how did we not notice it earlier?" Mikoto questioned.

"So you're Skill-Out. What do you want with us?" Kamijo asked.

"We want nothing from _you._ " Pink Mohawk said. "We want the Railgun. Give her to us, and we won't have to hurt you. We don't want to fight a fellow level zero. After all, you're just like us, mate." Pink Mohawk smirked.

"I am NOTHING like you!" Kamijo declared. "Just because we're level zeroes doesn't give us the right to go around hurting people out of fear. You hear me?! There's no way I'm letting you take Misaka!"

"Kamijo! Don't fight them, just run!" Mikoto shouted.

"Sissy!" Kuroko exclaimed.

"Don't worry Misaka. If it's to save you, two hundred of these punks would mean nothing to me." Kamijo turned towards Mikoto and smiled a reassuring smile.

*Ba-dump* Mikoto blushed slightly at the powerful combination of that smile and those words.

'Really?!' Etrig thought in frustration. 'A stupid sound and I'm useless! I can't even do _that_!'

"Well then, it's a shame, but I guess we have to fight you too." Pink Mohawk said.

And so, Kamijo readied his fist, and stared down over a dozen armed punks.

* * *

 **Kamijo: The battle against Skill-Out wages on, and there's still some loose ends to tie up after its resolution**

 **Kamijo: Both one of the SISTERS, and a member of the Amakusa church appear before me**

 **Kamijo: Me, Index and Hyoka get used to living together, and Etrig grants the gift of life**

 **Kamijo: Next time, "HARK(Stupid Name?)" when science and magic cross paths, a story is born**


	15. Episode 15: HARK(stupid name?)

**Me: Time to respond to some reviews**

 **BlueJack22: Well thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, and while I didn't know about the anniversary, it is impressive that the 'toaru' series has continued that long**

* * *

"Get her!" Pink Mohawk ordered, and as he did, six thugs ran straight for Misaka, whom Kamijo stood in front of.

"Aargh!" One thug threw a punch at Kamijo, which he dodged by ducking to the right, and countered with a punch to the face, knocking that thug out. Three more thugs ran at him, and they all tried to punch him at once. Kamijo ducked all of their punches and grabbed one thug's arm, using it to throw him into another thug. While he did that, the third thug tried to hit him again, but Kamijo kicked him in the stomach right before the thug punched him.

Two more thugs ran up and swung their pipes at Kamijo.

"Behind you!" Kuroko called out. Kamijo turned and saw, out of the corner of his eye, a thug about to punch him from behind, so he ducked, causing the guy behind him to get hit by a lead pipe.

"Come on guys, what are you doing?!" Pink Mohawk questioned. "He's just one guy, ignore him and grab the Railgun!" On those orders, the group of thugs all ran towards Kamijo at once.

"Urgh!" Kamijo grunted as he tried to push back two grunts.

"I got this!" Pink Mohawk slammed his shoulder like a football player into the backs of the two guys Kamijo was pushing, causing Kamijo to topple over on his back.

"Are you okay?" Etrig asked.

"I'm fine." Kamijo responded as he got up.

"Mrhg, hergh!" Mikoto's muffled voice called out.

"Darn it!" Kamijo exclaimed as he turned to see Mikoto being tied up in rope, with one of the thugs' hand over her mouth. "Misaka!" Kamijo ran towards her but collapsed to the ground as he felt a blunt impact on his neck.

"Kamijo, Misaka!" Etrig exclaimed worryingly.

"Alright, we've got our target, let's get out of here!" Pink Mohawk called to his group in triumph. The group of Skill-Out thugs retreated, with a group of them throwing Mikoto into the back of a van.

"SISSY!" Kuroko cried out. As the van drove away, the sound of Capacity Down got quieter and quieter until Etrig and Kuroko could stand again. "As a member of Judgment, I cannot let this stand! I'm going after them!"

"Wait Kuroko!" Etrig objected.

"Why should I? They have my Sissy, and I need to rescue her!"

"But what are you going to do? They still have Capacity Down." Etrig pointed out.

"Urgh." Kuroko grimaced in frustration.

"Here, if you can still see the van, teleport this on it." Etrig handed Kuroko a small black device that looked like a sticker. Kuroko took the device and as soon as it touched her hand, it vanished.

"There, I put it on the van."

"Good, that was a tracking device, now we can figure out where they're taking Sissy. Hey Kamijo, wake up!" Etrig spoke in Kamijo's ear, shaking his unconscious body.

"And once we figure out where their base is, we'll tell Anti-Skill, right?" Kuroko questioned.

"Yep. Hey, wake up Kamijo!" Etrig shouted.

"Ugh. Why are you- wait, what happened to Misaka?!" Kamijo asked in a panic.

"I'm sorry, they got her, we couldn't do anything to stop them." Etrig answered solemnly.

"Where is she now?"

"We've got a tracking device on their vehicle. Once they stop, we'll report their location to Anti-Skill." Etrig explained.

"Isn't there anything else we can do?" Kamijo questioned.

Etrig and Kuroko both looked down, ashamed.

"Oh? What is it that has everyone looking so glum here today?~" A girl's voice came from behind Kamijo. Kamijo turned around and saw a girl with long honey gold hair, and literal stars in her eyes, wearing the Tokiwadai uniform.

"Miss Shokuho!" Etrig exclaimed. "I'm glad you're here, we could use your help."

"Oh? What is it?" Misaki questioned.

"Sissy- I mean Misaka has been captured."

"Oh my. And just how was Misaka of all people captured?"

"It was Skill-Out. They have a device called Capacity Down that creates a sound that prevents espers from using their esper abilities." Kuroko explained.

"I see. Well, that most certainly is troublesome."

"Sorry, but just who are you?" Kamijo questioned.

"Huh?"

"This is Misaki Shokuho, the Fifth-ranked level 5 in Academy City." Kuroko answered. "Her ability is Mental-Out. It basically allows her to control and read other people's minds."

"Are you going to help us save Misaka?" Kamijo questioned.

"Hmm... I suppose I will." Misaki responded.

"Thanks a lot then."

Etrig flipped open his phone and looked at it. "It seems that they're no longer on the move. Let's hurry everyone, I'm not sure why they've taken Sissy, but we're getting her back." Etrig declared and ran off.

"Let's go!" Kamijo ran off after Etrig.

"Don't tell me I have to run." Misaki whined.

Kuroko sighed and looked at her phone as she got a notification. "You're in luck, Etrig just sent me the location. I'll teleport us near there."

"Thanks a million Shirai."

"Just don't try anything funny with your ability, or I'll be forced to turn you in to Judgment."

"Sure~"

*Sigh* Kuroko and Misaki disappeared as Kuroko teleported them.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, at a café in the streets of London..._

 _"So let me get this straight,"_ Laura Stuart spoke telepathically as she sipped a cup of coffee. She was a woman who had exceedingly long gold hair that covered the length of her body twice, and also had blue eyes. _"You want to go to Academy City to defend the Imagine Breaker, since you're concerned about him after the recent attack on Academy City by the Right Seat of God, correct?"_ Laura questioned.

 _"C-correct. I believe that it would be a beneficial investment to send me to defend him, since he is a valuable ally to the English Puritan Church."_ Itsuwa explained telepathically as she drank her green tea. She was a teenaged girl with dark purple hair that reached her shoulders, and amber eyes.

 _"Hmm... very well. You have my full permission to go to Academy City to defend the Imagine Breaker."_

 _"Thank you. I promise not to let you down."_

 _"I'm counting on you. Oh, and Itsuwa?"_

 _"What, Miss Archbishop?"_ Itsuwa questioned telepathically.

 _"Do be sure to use your feminine charms to win over the Imagine Breaker, ok?"_ Laura teased.

 _"W-w-what?!"_ Itsuwa exclaimed telepathically, being careful not to accidently let that outburst out loud, her face tinted pink.

 _"Go home and pack. I will set up your accommodations and funds for living in Academy City. Then I will communicate with you when to leave for the airport."_ Laura instructed as she stood up and left.

* * *

Kamijo, Kuroko, Etrig, and Misaki all stood staring at a small warehouse building a good distance away, with a couple of dozen of Skill-Out thugs patrolling the perimeter.

"All right guys, let's go over the plan one more time." Etrig suggested. "Misaki will use her ability to tell all but one of the guards to go home. Then, She'll use her ability to tell the last guard to open the door for us, then to go home."

"Then, since they still have Capacity Down, I'll go in and turn off the machine." Kamijo recalled.

"And Etrig will be outside the building, listening for the Capacity Down to de-activate, once it does, he'll signal for me and Misaki to go in, and we'll use our powers to help free Sissy." Kuroko finished.

"All right, let's go guys!" Kamijo encouraged the group. Misaki reached into her purse and pulled out a remote control.  
The rescue operation was about to commence.

* * *

"W-we sent our message." A thug relayed to his boss inside the Skill-Out hideout. In the back of the room, Mikoto wanted to struggle against the ropes that bound her, but if she did, she wouldn't be able to cover her ears to protect them from the awful noise Capacity Down was making.

"What next Hamazura?"

"You can go on guard duty with the rest." Hamazura instructed. Shiage Hamazura was a teenaged boy with a plain face and shaggy blonde hair, and had lead Skill-Out in the attack on Misuzu Misaka.

"Yes sir." The thug went to the entrance along with Pink Mohawk.

"Hah... hahahahahha! This, this will work... right?! Yeah, this is totally going to work! There's no way they can refuse us when we have their precious Railgun, right?" Hamazura contemplated nervously to himself. Hamazura's fretting was interrupted, however, by the sound of his two underlings' bodies hitting the ground.

"What?! What's happening?" Hamazura questioned.

"Hmm... where's the sound coming from?" Kamijo pondered as he looked around the classroom-sized building. "Ah, there it is!"

"What are you doing?!" Hamazura questioned, but was ignored as Kamijo ran past him and turned off the large machine producing the sound.

"All taken care of. Now to fre-" Kamijo's sentence was cut off as he noticed that Mikoto was already free of her binds.

"Thanks for saving me Kamijo." Mikoto spoke gratefully as she rubbed her wrists. "Still, a bit late aren't you? It wasn't exactly comfortable being tied up that whole time, you know."

"Sissy!" Kuroko exclaimed as she teleported into Mikoto's arms.

"You came to save me too?"

"Yep. I finished informing Anti-Skill of the situation, and they're coming to take the Skill-Out members into custody." Kuroko answered.

"You should thank Misaki too." Etrig told Mikoto as he walked in. "If it wasn't for her powers, then we might not have been able to save you."

"Really? _Misaki_ helped? Where is she?" Mikoto questioned.

"She said she was going home." Kuroko replied. "Something about someone picking her up."

"What-what exactly is going on here?" Hamazura questioned. "Am I really so pathetic that I just let all these people come in and ruin our plans without even noticing me?"

"Huh?" Kamijo turned towards Hamazura. "Hey, you look familiar."

"You know this guy, Kamijo?" Etrig questioned.

"Yeah, now I remember. You were the guy who was with Skill-Out at that research facility weren't you? So, why did you kidnap Misaka?"

"I-I-I um, I'm sorry! We really didn't want to kidnap her, but after what happened then, we had to do something to make sure we didn't all get eliminated!"

"Didn't you hear me before? I said the best way to do that was to help others. If you do that, then others will help you! Don't you get it?!" Kamijo responded in frustration.

*Yawn.* "All right guys, I'm off." Etrig told Kuroko and Mikoto.

"Where are you going?" Kuroko asked.

"I've someplace important to be, and now that Sissy's safe, I'm bored." Etrig vanished, leaving only Kamijo, Kuroko, Mikoto, and Hamazura behind.

"Let's go Kuroko, I think I'll go a bit overboard if I stay here, so I want to go vent my frustrations on the punching machine game at the arcade." Mikoto told Kuroko as she walked out of the building.

"That's not very lady-like Sissy." Kuroko chastised before teleporting after her.

"I don't think I need to punch you again. I hope that the next time I see you, you'll be doing something good for others, instead of using your weakness as an excuse to hurt others." Kamijo turned around and walked out of the building, leaving only Hamazura in his despair.

"DARN IT!" Hamazura exclaimed as he slammed his fist on the ground. "Darn it, darn it, darn it! What does he know?! _He's_ friends with a level 5 and a teleporter! Of course he doesn't have to deal with anyone picking on him." Hamazura continued hitting the ground. "Wait a second, didn't that teleporter chick say that Anti-Skill was coming? Uh-oh, I better grab the boys and get out of here!"

To Hamazura's surprise, as he searched the grounds, he only found a couple of Skill-Out members, so he grabbed them and tried to get as far away as he could.

* * *

"Just where exactly have you been this whole time?" Index questioned upon Kamijo's return home, her cheeks puffed out in discontent.

"I'll start making dinner, don't worry."

"It's not about that Kamijo." Hyoka spoke quietly. "You see, Index missed you and was really worried about you. And I... I knew you were fine, of course I did!" Hyoka spoke with increasingly red cheeks.

"Huh?!" Index's eyes widened. "Hey Toma, start making dinner please, okay?" Index demanded, before pulling aside Hyoka into the living room. "Hey Hyoka," Index whispered.

"Yes Index?"

"You don't happen to, l-like Toma too, do you?" Index questioned, her cheeks turning slightly pink as she asked.

"W-what?!" Hyoka's cheeks turned bright red as she whispered a shocked response. "N-no I don't... at least, not... yet." Hyoka answered.

"Yet?!" Index exclaimed in a mix of surprise and horror.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about over there?" Kamijo questioned as he began preparing the night's meal.

"Nothing, Toma! How long until dinner?" Index asked.

"Not too long, less than ten minutes, I'm making ramen. Where's Sphinx? I'm making his food too."

"Mraw." Sphinx meowed from inside Index's habit.

"There you are Sphinx! Why were you hiding in there?" Hyoka questioned as she grabbed Sphinx and held him gently in her hands as the cat meowed furiously. "I wonder if he doesn't like me."

"Don't worry, he's just got to warm up to you." Index assured her.

"Rowr!" Sphinx jumped out of Hyoka's hands and bounded towards his food bowl.

"Well, I'm glad he's enjoying his food." Kamijo spoke.

"So Kamijo, what did you do today?" Hyoka questioned.

"I um, I just enjoyed the weather, _yeah,_ that's it."

"Toma! What did you do?"

"I told you, I just enjoyed the weather in a park!" Kamijo answered frantically.

"Did that park have Short-Hair in it?" Index asked.

"Of-of course not! Why would it?" Kamijo questioned nervously.

"Toma!" Index screeched in frustration.

"I'm telling you, nothing happened!" Kamijo restated.

"Let's believe him, okay Index?" Hyoka suggested.

"Fine, but only cause you said so Hyoka." Index relented.

"Whew. Wait, what's that burning smell? Oh no, THE FOOD!"

"Tomaaaa!" Index jumped and reared her fangs.

"Rotten luc-

*CHOMP*

* * *

"Everyone, I'd like to welcome a new transfer student today!" Ms. Komoe announced cheerfully.

"Another one?" Himegami asked herself bitterly.

"Alright! Hope it's a girl!" Tsuchimikado expressed his hopes.

"Oh yeah!" Aogami agreed.

"Please welcome our new student, who is going by the name of Misaka."

Kamijo and Accelerator both reacted to that, while Last Order played with a necklace hanging down from Accelerator's neck. 'Wait, it can't be, she goes to Tokiwadai, doesn't she?' Kamijo mentally questioned.

Misaka 10032 walked into the room wearing a uniform from Kamijo's school, and stood in front of the class. Kamijo recognized her immediately by the necklace she wore. The one difference between her uniform and the normal one for the school was that her skirt was the length of the Tokiwadai ones. "My name is Misaka, says Misaka, bowing as she introduces herself to her new class. Misaka looks forward to spending the year with you. Misaka expresses her hopes of enjoying a school experience."

"Okay Misaka, please take any open seat you wish." Komoe instructed.

"Misaka would like this seat, says Misaka as takes her seat in front of the savior."

"'Savior?' Hey wait a second, do you know Kami?" Aogami questioned.

"Not just that, seems like she wants to sit next to him too!" Tsuchimikado chimed in.

"So how'd you meet, Kami?" Aogami asked.

"Quiet please class. You may talk all you wish during lunch, and I'm sure you all want to get to know the new girl, but right now, we have a class to get through." Ms. Komoe told the class.

The class quieted down as everyone sat down and class began. "Don't forget, everybody. Although you may have next week off from classes, you still have to come to school to prepare for the Ichihanaransai Festival, got that?"

"Yes Ms. Komoe!" The class responded.

* * *

 _At lunch, later that day:_

"What's your ability?"

"What school did you transfer from?"

"Do you know Kamijo or something? Is that why you wanted to sit by him?"

A bunch of people crowded Misaka at lunch, wanting to get to know her.

"Misaka is a level two electromaster, and she was in the hospital before coming to this school, replies Misaka. How should Misaka answer that last question, asks Misaka, not wanting to upset the savior." Misaka looked towards Kamijo. Kamijo got up and whispered in her ear;

"Say what you want, just don't mention the experiment, and please, call me Kamijo, the whole 'savior' thing is uncomfortable."

Misaka nodded her head. "Misaka owes her life to th- I mean Kamijo, explains Misaka."

"W-what does she mean by that?" One girl asked Kamijo with pink cheeks.

"N-nothing! She likes to joke around like that sometimes, we're just friends, yeah we've met a few times before." Kamijo waved his hands in front of his face, frantically denying Misaka's statement.

"Oh really? I see... well then, we'll just leave you here with your girlfriend." One boy said with a smirk on his face as he left, prompting the rest of the group to leave with him.

"She's not my- oh who am I kidding? They're not listening." Kamijo sighed in defeat. "So Misaka, what are you doing here at this school? Shouldn't you be in a middle school?" Kamijo asked.

"Misaka was taught by the Testament system, so she is more than capable of taking college level classes, Misaka begins her explanation. So the Misakas were given a list of schools we could choose to attend, and this Misaka won the lottery to come to the school you attend, says Misaka, concealing some truth to the situation. And please, since it is likely that you will be seeing more than just this Misaka around, Misaka would like it if you referred to her by her own name, 10032, requests Misaka."

"Sure. So Mi- I mean, 10032, where did the other Misakas go?"

"Misaka 13577 is attending Tokiwadai Middle School, Misaka 10039 is currently attending Kirigaoka Girls' School, and Misaka 19090 is attending a public high school, informs Misaka."

"I see. Well, it'll be nice to have you here. But, why did you want to sit next to me?" Kamijo asked.

"Misaka wishes to be able to keep a close eye on serial number 20001, Misaka lies."

Kamijo was about to respond, but was interrupted by someone else coming up to them. "Misaka is so happy to be able to go to school with one of her sisters, says Misaka Misaka, expressing her happiness at the situation."

"And since you're here, please, _please_ get the brat to be quiet." Accelerator requested.

"You ask the impossible. Misaka stands a better chance of defeating you or big sister in combat than she does getting the shrimp to be quiet, says Misaka." This statement caused Kamijo to chuckle and Last Order to pout.

'You know, it'll be nice to have more friends around.' Kamijo thought as the bell for class rang.

* * *

At the same time, at Tokiwadai, ability testing was being conducted.

Kuroko stood observing the other students, having already finished her testing. *Sigh* "I'm sore after that." Kuroko rubbed her left shoulder. "Sissy!" Kuroko perked up as her idol walked towards her from the dome in which her power testing had occurred. "Are you finished with your testing?" Kuroko questioned.

"Yeah. I had wanted to stay and watch his testing, but they shooed me out." Mikoto told Kuroko.

"His?"

"Oh Etrig's. They're testing his ability the same way they test mine, by having him blow up the pool."

"Sissy... 'blow up the pool' isn't the most astute way to describe the method which is used to evaluate your ability." Kuroko spoke disappointedly.

"Heh heh. I suppose not. But still, I wonder how he'll do." At that moment, as if on cue, a huge spray of water shot up in the air as a sound replicative of thunder was heard. The water cascaded down like a waterfall back into the dome.

"Not bad. Although, it's not nearly as impressive as you, Sissy." Kuroko commented.

"I agree, but still, I think they're definitely going to raise his ability score after this." Mikoto said.

"His power is quite impressive, but it's not nearly as refined or elegant as my ability." A voice came from behind them. The girl to whom it belonged to them had long black hair and similar colored eyes. She also carried a fan and possessed a noticeably large forehead.

"What are _you_ doing here Mitsuko?" Kuroko asked.

"You know, I never imagined the prideful Tokiwadai would ever accept male students into its halls, even on a probationary basis. But still... I think, even if temporary, this is a good thing for the students of Tokiwadai. There are a few too many spoiled girls here who would normally discriminate against any male they saw." Mitsuko spoke, ignoring Kuroko's question.

"You mean like you?" Kuroko joked.

"I'm hurt Shirai. Now then, if you'll excuse me, I must go, Awatsuki and Wannai are waiting for me." With that, Mitsuko walked off, away from Kuroko and Mikoto.

* * *

*Pant* *Pant* 'Aw man, I'm really tired.' Etrig groaned as he wiped the sweat off his brow. 'Not to mention I'm running out of EP. At this rate, I'd say I only have enough for one more "thunder".'

"Alright, again." The deep voice of Etrig's examiner spoke.

'Aw man. He doesn't make it sound like I only have one more shot left to do. Alright then, in that case, I'll put all the energy I _do_ have into this last shot!' Etrig took a deep breath and put his right hand forward. Yellow bolts of lightning sparked in all directions from his hand as he closed his eyes and concentrated.

"Urgh! Thunder!" Etrig exclaimed as a huge bolt of lightning shot from his fingers towards the pool in front of him, causing a loud booming sound that sounded like thunder to echo through the open-top dome they were in. Etrig stared at the water as it shot up over forty feet in the air, then fell back down into the pool.

"Not good. I put all I have into that, and it's not half as strong as the shocks Sissy shoots on a regular basis." Etrig observed. Etrig panted and panted as he tried to regain his energy.

"Okay, let's move on to the next part of the testing. Your ability covers more than just electric shocks, correct?" Etrig's examiner questioned.

"Yep." Etrig tried to answer cheerfully, but his voice came out a bit hoarse. ' _Man,_ I used too much energy trying to be like Misaka.'

"Follow me. Next, we'll be determining what your maximum output is." The examiner told Etrig.

"Okay!" Etrig replied cheerfully.

* * *

"What's up Yomikawa?" Accelerator questioned. He and Aiho Yomikawa stood facing each other in the living room of Yomikawa's apartment. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Well, since it's been over a month, I figured, 'he can't avoid this question any longer,' so... how's school treating you, kid? Met any interesting people?" Yomikawa asked.

*Sigh* "Well let's see, I've met the guy who beat me up, whom I hate, the kid who's responsible for my being able to stand up in front of you now without crutches, and one of the Sisters transferred in now, drudging up bad memories. So yeah, things are _great_." 'Not to mention my ex-coworker who's apparently even more of an idiot in school than he is at the job.'

"Well it's good to know that you're making friends. And I hope you make friends with the Kamijo guy who, 'beat you up,' it'll be good for you to make friends with him."

"How'd you know it was him?" Accelerator asked.

"I make it my business to look into the troublemaking students at my school, not to mention the tenants I take care of, so _that_ information just came up naturally." Yomikawa explained.

"...So tell me, where's the brat?"

"If you mean Last Order, she's currently playing with Yoshikawa. Why, were you worried about her?"

"Like I'd ever be worried about the brat. Just wanted to know if I had time to go pick up coffee." Accelerator walked towards the door. Accelerator turned towards Yomikawa as he reached the door. "Tell me, if you make it your business to know about your students and tenants, then do you know just who it was that fixed my injury?" Accelerator questioned.

"I have a pretty good idea. There were a couple of transfer students around the same time as you, and it's not unheard of for an esper ability to be able to heal others. Why? Did you want to know more about them?"

"...Nah. I know what I need to know, thanks." Accelerator walked out the door.

"I think Tsukuyomi's kids will be a good thing for him to have in his life." Yomikawa commented as she smirked.

* * *

It was after school on Wednesday, and Etrig was walking through the streets of Academy City, looking for the location Aleister had told him about.

"He said that Skill-Out's base was close to here, didn't he? Cause I don't see anything." Etrig stopped and scanned the area for any sign of Skill-Out being there. "Wait a second, that van looks familiar. Hmm... yep! That's definitely the same van as last weekend." The van Etrig saw was parked outside of a large house. Although the house was large, it appeared to have only one story.

"Well, guess it's about time I put my own plans into motion." Etrig smiled. Etrig walked up to the door of the house and knocked.

"Who's there?" Hamazura's voice came from inside.

"The name's Etrig, and you're going to want to open this door for me, cause I've got something important for _you_."

"What is it?"

"It's a pizza delivery, now open up." Etrig spoke sarcastically. To his surprise, the door opened to reveal Hamazura and an exceedingly large group of Skill-Out thugs inside the large room the door opened to.

"So, what exactly do you really want with us?" Hamazura questioned. "Wait a second, I recognize you, you were with the Railgun on Sunday, weren't you?"

"Yes I was."

"W-why are you here now?"

"I came to help you. Once I'm done, you can kick me out if you want, but for right now, lead me to the largest room in this place."

"What should we do Hamazura?" One thug questioned.

"We do what he says, for now. Keep a close eye on him." Hamazura answered. "Follow me." Hamazura led Etrig through a door in the back of the room, and they emerged into a large open space, with weights and exercise equipment against the walls.

"I see. This should do." Etrig declared happily. "Now then, am I correct to say that the leader of your group's name was Ritoku Komaba?"

"Yeah." Hamazura looked down solemnly.

"Tell me, does anyone here happen to remember him well?" Etrig questioned.

"I do. He was a great person, and a great friend." Hamazura responded, putting his fist to his heart.

"Well what would you say if I told you that I could bring him back to life?"

"What! Is that possible?! No, it's not! You're just messing with me!"

"That's all well and good then. If you don't want him back, then I can just leave right now." Etrig turned and started out the door.

"No wait! Tell me... if you're really going to bring Komaba back, then... tell me how I can help!" Hamazura couldn't believe he was actually trusting this kid, but if there was a chance to bring back one of his best friends, then he had to take it.

Etrig smiled. "I'll need a picture of him, and something that he's touched frequently."

"I can grab that." Hamazura ran into the first room. Etrig grabbed a piece of chalk out of his pocket and began writing on the floor. When he was done, the kanji for 'life' and 'rebirth' were scribbled on the floor.

"I've got them!" Hamazura burst into the room with a small picture frame and a winter jacket. "Komaba wore this jacket all this time, and here's a picture of him." Hamazura handed the items over to Etrig.

"Perfect." Etrig walked to his right and set down the jacket, then further to the left, and placed the picture down on the floor. "Now give me a couple minutes, I need to grab something." Etrig put two fingers to his forehead and disappeared.

"How'd he-" Hamazura mouth was agape as he looked at where Etrig had just been standing.

Less than ten minutes later, he returned to the same spot as before, holding a black bag. "I'm back." Etrig walked to the middle of the room and set the bag down gently.

"What's the bag for?" Hamazura questioned.

"It's the body. I wouldn't recommend opening it until he's alive again, I know _I_ personally don't want to see what he looks like now."

"His body?!" Hamazura exclaimed in fright.

"Yeah. Those jerks in GROUP made it hard to find, but I tracked it down. Can't exactly bring someone back to life without a body, now can I?"

"I-I guess not."

"Lastly, I need you to stand across the room, on the other side of the bag, okay?" Etrig instructed.

"Sure." Hamazura walked to the other side of the room. "Now what?!" He called.

"Now I just need you to think about everything you can remember about Ritoku Komaba."

"All right." Hamazura replied. Etrig mumbled a few words and a bottle full of liquid appeared in his hands.

"I've got the potion, now everything's all set." Etrig removed the cork from the bottle and began pouring the potion over where the bag lay on the ground. As he did, the entire room began to glow in a light blue color, causing Hamazura and all the Skill-Out members in the room to gasp.

"... and come back to this world as I call your Earthly name... Ritoku Komaba!" Everyone in the room covered their eyes with their arms to protect themselves from the blinding light that radiated from the center of the room. As the light died down, everyone looked to the center of the room. When the light disappeared entirely, they could see, plain as day, that Ritoku Komaba's large frame laid there unconscious.

Hamazura ran to the center of the room and put his fingers to Komaba's neck and then put his ear to his chest. "He, he's breathing. And he has a heartbeat, a pulse!" Hamazura declared to the group of Skill-Out members, leading to a brief moment of silence before they all broke out into applause, and a few of them even cried.

"How? How did you do this, was it... magic?" Hamazura questioned.

Etrig smirked. "Magic?" *Cough* *Cough* "Argh!" Etrig bent over and blood could be seen spilling from his mouth, leaving a large pile on the floor. "I'll clean that up. Also, sorry to disappoint you, but that wasn't magic. I just used my esper ability to rejuvenate him." Etrig's mouth spurted more blood.

"What happened to you? Why are you puking blood?" Hamazura questioned.

"Must've eaten something bad. I knew that 'gourmet' sushi was suspicious for less than a dollar." Etrig joked.

"Hamazura!" One person caught Hamazura's attention. "He-he's waking up!"

"Argh. Where am I? How am I alive?" Ritoku Komaba questioned. Etrig and Hamazura walked over to where he was and helped him up. Once he was up, Etrig reared back his right hand, but was beat to it by Hamazura punching Komaba in the face.

"How could you just go and die on us?!" Hamazura questioned angrily. He had tears streaming like a river from his eyes. "Do you know how lost we were without you?! How much we need you?! You have a family and friends, people to protect, you can't just go and die on us like that! You're my friend, and we need you Komaba. So please... don't die again, okay?"

'Hmph. It appears that _I_ don't have to make that speech.' Etrig thought contentedly to himself.

After a brief moment of silence, Komaba spoke. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again. So, if I really did die, then how am I back?" Komaba asked.

"This kid here came and brought you back." Hamazura pointed at Etrig.

"Well then, kid, I am grateful to you."

"Yeah, is there anything we can do to repay you for bringing him back?"

Etrig stood up. "Well there is one thing you Skill-Out guys can do for me. Ahem. From this point on, you will no longer be Skill-Out!" Etrig stated, dramatically pointing at the group.

"What do you mean?" Hamazura questioned.

"Skill-Out's purpose is to help powerless people who are picked on by stronger espers, right?"

"Yeah." Komaba nodded his head. "That's what our goal should be."

"Well in that case, you should expand your horizons, from this moment on, you will no longer be regarded as a group of thugs who target espers, but as a group of heroes who help make Academy City a better place on a day to day basis. You shall be... 'The Heroes of Academy City- Reborn!' or HARK, for short!"

Everyone else in the room deadpanned at this ridiculous name. First of all, the word 'city' was spelled with a C, not a K, and even if you ignored that, in the word 'Hark' the R came before the K, but in the ridiculous name Etrig had just suggested, the C came before the R.

"The name aside, you're right. There are many people in Academy City who need help, not just level zeroes, and we should try and help those people too. I am grateful for the opportunity to do just that, so thanks again for your... help." Ritoku Komaba spoke.

"You're welcome. Now then, I'll be on my way." Etrig walked out of the house, leaving only the former Skill-Out members.

"Are we really going to listen to a brat?"

"Why should we let a kid like him come in and change how we do things, just because he brought our boss back to life?" These were the questions uttered by some Skill-Out members in the joyful reunion that followed Etrig's departure. In the end, roughly 20% percent of the Skill-Out members there remained members of Skill-Out, and not HARK.

"Hamazura." Komaba grabbed him by the shoulder. "You should go with them. They'll need a leader to make sure they don't stray from the right path. Don't worry, you can ask me for help anytime, I'm not going anywhere now."

"Komaba." Hamazura wiped the last tear from his eyes. "You got it. I'll continue to make you proud, and someday we'll make this city a safe place for all of us, I know we can do it with you around." Hamazura then bid his farewells to his former Skill-Out group, and left to join up with the rest of the people who had seceded.

"Alright men, you're dismissed. I've got someone I need to see." Komaba told his group before leaving the building.

* * *

"Hey, this is great news for you." Saiji Tatemiya told Itsuwa as she packed up her things. Saiji Tatemiya was a man with black hair in a similar style to Toma Kamijo's, but larger.

"What do you mean?" Itsuwa asked.

"I mean, now you'll get your chance to win over the Imagine Breaker." Tatemiya teased with a smirk.

"What are you talking about? Tha-that isn't my intention at all!" Itsuwa stammered with a red blush covering her face.

"Yeah right. Hurry up and get to the airport. I wish you good luck in both your objectives."

"Yeah, I'll be going now." Itsuwa grabbed her bags and walked out of the room.

"Hmm... it'll be interesting to see how Kanzaki counters this one." Tatemiya smiled as he imagined the saint's reaction to hearing about this news.

* * *

"So let me get this straight." Kamijo said to the purple haired girl standing in front of him outside his door this Thursday morning. "You came here to Academy City to protect me, but now, since your boss didn't give you enough money for a place to live or prepare a place for you to live, you're asking to live here. Is that right?"

"Yes. It works out this way anyway, be-because, now I can protect you at all times." Itsuwa answered, her face red with the idea of living with Kamijo floating in her head. Itsuwa was wearing the same clothes as she had been when Kamijo and Index had taken a trip to Venice.

"Um, Kamijo, who is this girl?" Hyoka asked. Index was still asleep, and therefore would not learn of this development until later.

"Oh, this is a friend of mine, her name's Itsuwa. Itsuwa, meet Kazakiri."

"Oh, um, very nice to meet you Miss Kazakiri." Itsuwa bowed.

Hyoka bowed back. "Oh no, please, just Kazakiri is fine. And I'll call you Itsuwa, if you're okay with that that is."

"Yes, that's-that's fine."

"Well, I'm off to school, we can work out more of this after I get back from school."

"W-wait, I'll come with you. I'm here to protect you after all."

"You don't need to protect me at school, nothing will happen there."

"But if something did happen there, I'd feel awful, because I'd have failed in my role here." Itsuwa replied obstinately.

"Just let her go with you Kamijo." Hyoka spoke up. "There can't be that much of an issue."

"Alright, fine. I need to get to school, and I don't have time to argue this, so let's go. Bye Hyoka, make sure to let Index know where lunch and breakfast are." Kamijo instructed, walking out of the house and locking the door behind him.

"Th-thank you for letting me come with you."

"You insisted. So come on, let's hurry up and get to school. Just be sure not to give away that you're involved with magic, got that?"

"Y-yes." With that, Kamijo and Itsuwa headed off to school.

* * *

"Oh, you must be Itsuwa." Ms. Komoe spoke upon seeing Itsuwa and Kamijo walking towards her classroom. "Why are you with the new transfer student?" Komoe asked to Kamijo.

"Transfer student?" Kamijo and Itsuwa questioned at once.

"Itsuwa, your guardian Miss Laura Stuart already set up your transfer." Komoe explained.

'Wait a second. You're telling me that this whole thing was set up from the beginning?' Kamijo pondered.

"Oh, well in that case, yes, I am Itsuwa. Nice to meet you, but what are you doing here little girl?"

Komoe pouted. "I'll have you know young lady, I am an _adult_ , and your homeroom teacher." Ms. Komoe explained.

"R-really?"

"Really." Kamijo stated.

"Bu-but she looks so young! Is this the result of some horrible experimentation?"

"Hey! I just happen to look this way, it's completely natural. Now then, please follow me, the bell's about to ring, and I need to get you changed into the school's uniform before I introduce you to the class. Kamijo, you need to take your seat before the bell rings."

"Yes Ms. Komoe." Kamijo adhered to his teacher's instructions and headed to his desk.

* * *

"So Itsuwa, let me introduce you to my group of friends, this Tsuchimikado and Aogami." Kamijo pointed to the other members of the Delta Force.

"Hiya."

"Always a pleasure to meet one of Kami's friends." Tsuchimikado said.

"This is Misaka."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, greets Misaka, bowing her head."

"And this is Accelerator and this is Last Order."

"Very nice to meet you, greets Misaka Misaka."

"Don't you dare try to introduce me as one of your 'friends' got that?"

"It's-it's very nice to meet you all." Itsuwa greeted nervously.

The rest of the day went normally, with everyone getting to know the new girl, not paying attention in class, and Fukiyose beating up Tsuchimikado and Aogami when they were embarrassing Itsuwa with their weird conversations. Etrig and Itsuwa were introduced the next day, and after the day was over, Etrig found something on his desk.

"What's this?" Etrig pondered as he picked up the envelope on his desk and opened it. "A letter huh? I wonder who it's from, and what it says." Etrig read the letter.

 _Hey kid, meet me after school at coordinates at the bottom of this letter.  
And just remember, don't tell anyone about this, or you're dead.  
Accelerator  
_

"What's this about? Well, I suppose I've got nothing else to do, might as well go and see what this is about." With that, Etrig left the classroom and headed for the coordinates that were listed at the bottom of the letter.

* * *

"So what's up? Why'd you call me here?" Etrig questioned. He and Accelerator now stood facing each other in a abandoned junkyard.

"Did you forget or something kid? You asked me to teach you my ability. Fortunately for you, since one of the sisters transferred in, I was able to explain to them the circumstances of your using this choker." Accelerator pulled his electrode choker out of his pocket and tossed it to Etrig.

"You're teaching me even though I lost our fight?" Etrig asked, puzzled.

"Don't take it the wrong way. I'm just interested in seeing if you really can learn another esper's ability. Basically, I'm using you as a test subject. Think of it as payback for the first time we met, alright?"

"I'm... not sure how to reply to that." Etrig spoke in a childish voice.

"Then don't. Before I teach you to use my ability, you have to understand it first, so get ready to cram a crap-load of information into your skull. And if you can't I'll just drop this whole thing, got that kid?"

"Okay!" And so they spent hours together, going into the night, with Accelerator teaching Etrig the basics of vectors: what they are, how they can be used, and what is necessary to control them.

* * *

"So um, I just have one question."

"What is it kid?"

"If you can do all these things, why couldn't you beat Kamijo when you fought him the first time?"

"...Kid. Lesson's over, so you better leave right now before you find yourself with a hole in your back."

"...Got that."

*Whoosh*

* * *

 **Me: Sorry if this chapter was a little more cringe-worthy than my normal chapters, but don't worry, the action will be ramping up in the next part of this story.**

 **Me: Also, beginning next episode, I will be implementing an anime opening style thing(just describing a bunch of images that correlate to the upcoming plot, basically), so I want to know if I should put it right after where I respond to reviews, or a little bit after the start of the episode, like in the anime. So if you have an opinion, leave a review to let me know.**


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